Finding Love Through Pain
by Velysta91
Summary: When Saria's home is destroyed and fellow red pandas are killed by rhinos, she is wounded and forced to leave her family behind. She risks her life to seek out the Kung Fu masters of the Jade Palace where she meets the lonely Master Shifu. Is she too late or will she find hope for her people before they're wiped out forever? Will she be able to bring justice for the lives lost?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Kung Fu Panda, it belongs entirely to Dreamworks.  
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**A/N: WARNING: This story DOES contain gore and sexual implications which is why I rated it M. The first few chapters are the roughest but it will level out. If you don't like details, this story is NOT for you. If you still want to read this, enjoy!**

A new day dawned over Kia in Turin Valley where Saria and her family lived. The sun shined through the red panda's window even though she wanted more sleep. Her big round red ears twitched in agitation and she opened her emerald green eyes to glare at the rays of light. Her face was white except for two big red circles surrounding her eyes that reached up to her dark eyebrows and ended on either side of her small nose, making her look like a bandit. She groaned and rolled over, pulling the blanket over her head in defiance. Her long fluffy white tail peeked out, the three red rings near the base lending to the bandit look. Even so the light seemed to penetrate the layers of her blanket, intent on disturbing her. She reluctantly gave in, sighing as she tossed her blanket aside sat up.

The fur on the rest of her body was a darker red color than the markings on her head and tail except for a small white crescent on her stomach near her right hip at about an inch long. Saria slid off the side of the bed, landing lightly on the balls of her feet and walked to her mirror across the small room. She was small for a red panda, but had a shapely body with full hips and a small waist. Muscles rippled beneath her fur when she moved as proof of her athletic skill. She picked up a comb and began running it through her fur, closing her eyes to savor the sensation. She started with her head and ended at her feet, making sure her fur was going to cooperate before she put on her clothes. She picked simple black pants that hugged her hips and a dark blue shirt she tucked in so it wouldn't get in the way. Before she put on her shirt she grabbed a long white sash and wound it around her chest, pinning her breasts in place so they wouldn't get in the way. She then brushed her rustic red hair that reached to her waist and put it in a long braid like she always did before slipping on some sandals and going to her door.

Hearing the patter of little feet running down the hall towards her room made her smile. She timed herself so when the running stopped in front of her door she opened it.

"Boo!" She yelled as she jumped into the hall. Her younger brother stumbled back in surprise, falling on his butt. Saria laughed at his shocked expression before he could collect himself. His eyebrows drew down in a scowl and his dark blue eyes glared at her.

"That was not funny, Sar!" he complained in a whiney tone, but Saria just laughed and helped him to his feet. The top of his head reached her chin, but he was still a baby and she was fully grown. He would grow for years to come and she had no doubt he would be taller than her some day.

"I know you, Yoshu, and you were going to scare me, I merely beat you to the punch," she said as she ruffled his short red hair affectionately. He grinned up at her, his eyes sparkling with mischief before he darted back down the hall into the kitchen. Saria inhaled deeply, taking in the aroma of sweet oatmeal. Her mother often put chunks of apple from the apple tree outside in the oatmeal as well as cinnamon, giving it a deliciously sweet taste people couldn't resist. As Saria entered the kitchen, Pari glanced behind her at her daughter, her green eyes alight with love and adoration and her mouth curved in a smile. Her eyes were a deeper shade than Saria's but beautiful nonetheless. She was a small panda like her daughter, except laugh lines were etched on her face as a testament to the many years of happiness she had lived. Her dark red hair was tied in a bun like it always was, grey streaks beginning to appear throughout the red.

"Good morning!" a deep voice boomed throughout the room, heralding the entrance of her father. He walked in the front door holding a basket of eggs he had just collected from the hen house. Saria knew he would go into town later to sell the eggs like he did every day. They lived on the small amount of money their farm brought in, a meager but sustainable way of life.

"Morning Yuan," her mother greeted as she kissed her husband on the cheek. Yuan's voice fit his body. He was large for a red panda, especially in the middle as he loved his food. He had a large round face and even larger sapphire blue eyes that twinkled when he smiled. Saria gave him a hug as he went to the counter before she sat down. Pari set four bowls of oatmeal on the table, one in front of Saria. She grabbed her spoon and dug in, savoring the sweet taste of the apple mixed with the spice of the cinnamon as everyone else sat at the small table. Yoshu nearly bounced out of his chair in excitement as he talked about going to his friend Ping's house later in the day to play with their swords. His sword was by the door, which was merely a short stick that Yuan had whittled to look like a sword. A white strip of cloth was wrapped around the base where the hilt was supposed to be. Yoshu's name was carved just above the hilt in his untidy writing, marking it as his. He loved to fight, almost as much as Saria, however their parents didn't know kung fu and they didn't know anyone in town who did.

"It's so much fun!" her little brother exclaimed as he bounced in his seat. "Maybe someday when I'm all grown up I can go to the Jade Palace and become a true master!"

"Maybe someday," his mother said as she patted his arm affectionately. She didn't want to shatter his dreams, but they could never afford to send him to the Jade Palace to train. It was a good ten day's travel across the valley by cart not to mention traveling with all of your belongings. The cost of moving would be too much, so they could only hope he would grow out of it. Saria said nothing and continued eating. Growing up with stories of the legendary kung fu masters, they both dreamed of becoming kung fu warriors but their family's limited means of income prevented their dreams from coming true. But it didn't stop Saria from dreaming.

She didn't know what the masters looked like or even what species they were but in her mind they were strong and noble heroes. Often when she was finished with her chores for the day she would go into the forest behind the house to practice when her parents believed she went to merely relax. Even though she didn't know how to fight properly she still liked to punch and kick at the air. She could jump high and climb trees with ease and felt at home when she practiced. She hoped she'd be able to get some practice in before the sun set.

Her father pushed away from the table and stood, grabbing the basket of eggs off the counter on his way to the door.

"I'm going to go into town, I'll be back later this afternoon," he said with a smile. Everyone said goodbye before he walked out the door and made his way to town. Saria stretched, and yawning picked up her bowl as well as her father's empty one and carried them to the sink to wash them. Yoshu was still babbling about kung fu when she finished and went outside to get started on her chores.

She grabbed the pail by the door and headed out back. The sun had barely risen and it was already warm, the dew on the grass evaporating quickly. Saria could tell it was going to be a very hot day. She made her way to the well behind the house and tied the rope to the pail. She lowered it into the dark well and drew out water and carried it to the trough where the chickens were pecking in the yard and dumped the water in. Repeating it several times until the trough was full before putting the pail back, she then went into the garden behind the well to pull weeds. The vegetables they grew were more than the family needed, so they sold the excess in Kia. Saria took well care of the plants, ensuring they thrived. As she worked she heard weird high pitched noises that sounded like bird calls coming from the surrounding woods, and tried to figure out what species they were.

She had begun to sweat when she heard someone approaching the house. By the large amount of noise they were making she knew they were running. Saria's uneasiness grew as she hurried to the front to see who was coming. People didn't come running to the house unless something was wrong. She turned the corner and was almost at the front door when she looked at the road and stopped dead. It was her father coming down the road, yelling imperceptibly as he waved his arms. By the frantic look on his face, she knew it was urgent. Looking behind him she saw what he was yelling about. Smoke billowed into the sky in the direction of Kia and she realized the sounds she'd heard weren't birds but was coming from the people in the town. They were under attack.

Saria's heart began to pound as she ran to get her mother but Pari was already at the door, having seen her husband coming down the road from the window. Saria could see her mother was scared by the way she wrung her hands but she remained where she was. Yoshu peeked out from behind his mom, his face anxious and confused as he had no idea what was going on. Yuan stopped when he reached the house and bent over to catch his breath as his family anxiously waited to find out what was going on.

"Rhinos…" he gasped. "Rhinos… attacking… the town… attacking pandas… we have to go… now!" He managed to get the words out as he fought to catch his breath, and it was enough to spur the family into action. Pari disappeared into the house and clanging could be heard as she hastily shoved things into bags, knowing they couldn't run without supplies to sustain them. Saria ran into the house to help, followed by her father who was still panting from running. They grabbed dried fruits and vegetables that had been preserved as well as a few pots and pans and eating utensils. Saria ran into her room and grabbed her blanket knowing it would be enough to keep her warm.

"We'll go east through the forest," her father was saying. "They won't be able to follow us for long and we'll make for the Jade Palace." Saria froze. The Jade Palace? Had she heard that correctly? Her heart soared at the thought of going to the Jade Palace. She could fulfill her dream and… Wait. They weren't going there to train they were going there for help. If her father believed they needed to call upon the kung fu masters, she knew it was far more serious than she'd thought. But to travel that far with few supplies, would they make it? It would be a long and rough trek because the Turin Valley was made up mostly of thick forest, with towns few and far between. Getting through the pass would be the hardest with the high mountain range they'd have to cross. But her mother just nodded and put the pots in one bag and the food in the other.

They ran outside to find rhinos marching onto their land. They were covered with blood and gore, not even bothering to wipe it off and seeming to display it with pride. Saria's stomach lurched at the sight and bile rose in her throat but she pushed it down. Yoshu screamed and his mother scooped him up in her arms protectively.

"Run!" her father screamed and they all dashed for the security of the forest. Saria was the fastest and got well ahead of them. She reached the edge of the forest and dodged the trees with ease after so much practice. As she ran she noticed she couldn't hear the crashing of feet behind her. She couldn't hear anything so she stopped and turned around. Her family wasn't behind her. Heart pounding against her chest, Saria ran as fast as her legs could carry her back the way she'd come. When she reached the edge of the forest, what she saw shocked her. There were rhinos everywhere, all of them carrying various weapons and heavily armored. They were ransacking the house and killing the chickens, and some were grabbing vegetables from the garden, stomping the plants as they went. Saria's heart stopped when she spotted her family being dragged to the middle of the yard.

"NO!" she screamed and she dashed as fast as she could towards her family, not knowing what she was going to do but felt she had to try to save them anyways. Her parents saw her as she ran towards them, fear for her stark in their faces.

"Don't!" her father yelled. "Run! Go to the Jade Palace and get the kung fu masters!" Saria stopped, staring in disbelief. How could he expect her to leave them? Before she could take another step towards them, a rhino stepped in her path, brandishing a wicked looking spear.

"Well, well, well," the rhino grinned. "Looks like we got a young one here, she could be some fun!" Some of the other rhinos laughed and cheered him on.

"You're right Li; she'd be a good catch!" One of them shouted. They began to circle around Saria to box her in. She backed up and he pointed his spear so close to her face that Saria could see it was caked with blood and chunks of meat.

"You're not going anywhere pretty thing," he sneered. Saria knocked the spear away and kicked him in the shin, but backpedaled right into another rhino. "Grab her!" Li roared as he rubbed his shin, and the rhino did, grabbing her by the waist and picking her up. Saria squirmed and fought but stopped when the spear was in her face again. "Enough, this ends now," he said with a sadistic smile and pulled back the spear to stab her. Somehow her father broke free of the group and rammed himself into the massive rhino as he stabbed at Saria. Her father pushed Li just enough to throw off his aim and Saria jerked to the right. Instead of stabbing her in the middle, the spear sliced into her left hip at the joint and the rhino's momentum caused the spear to glance off Saria's hip bone and rammed into his companion. Both Saria and the rhino screamed and he dropped Saria. She scrambled to make a break for the forest, grasping her hip to stop the blood.

"Run!" Yuan shouted with all his might as Li turned on him. Saria stopped at the edge and looked back, still hating the thought of leaving her family. Her father was on his knees, glaring defiantly up at Li, his eyes that once twinkled with joy now full of rage and loathing. Her mother held Yoshu as they both sobbed, scared for Yuan and themselves. Even so, Pari looked at her daughter and nodded. _Go,_ she mouthed the word as a group of rhinos descended upon them. Several rhinos broke off from the group and began to chase Saria but she disappeared into the forest, glancing back at her family one more time, praying it wasn't the last time she'd ever see them.

...

**A/N: This is my first published story on a public site so bear with me! I'm excited about sharing my work and look forward to both the good and bad reviews so I can learn from them. Yes it will be rough at times, but things always get better!**


	2. Chapter 2

Saria kept a hand clamped over her hip as she ran but blood oozed between her fingers anyways. Out of breath and sure no one was following her, she stopped and sat on a rotten log. Carefully pulling her hand away she lifted her shirt and inspected the wound. Even through her fur Saria could see it was a nasty cut, deep enough to have hit the bone and it throbbed painfully. Her hip hurt but she believed it was just from the inflammation of the cut. She slowly peeled off her bloody shirt and set it beside her. Then she unwound the sash around her chest and rewrapped it around her waist over the cut. She bit her lip to keep from screaming as she tightened the sash, trembling from the pain. After pulling her shirt back on she leaned against a tree next to the log to try and slow her heart, but her mind kept going back to her family. Were they dead? She couldn't be sure but she hoped beyond hope that they were somehow alive. Even if they weren't she needed to get to the Jade Palace as fast as she possibly could.

Breathing deep breaths to get through the pain, she put her hand on the tree to steady herself so she could stand. Her leg hurt but she forced her weight on it and moved anyways as she gritted her teeth. She had run before she could get any of the food or supplies her parents had gathered, but they had taught her to forage so she could eat along the way. She decided to stay off the main roads and check on other towns from the forest. She limped along a narrow trail at a slow jog as she made her way through the forest and climbed to the top of a hill overlooking the town. The townsfolk called it Love Hill because couples would go up to the top and make out under the stars. She had a good view of the town and saw that smoke was still billowing from various houses. There wasn't a house she could see that wasn't destroyed and tried to find her home but couldn't see it through the trees. Her family had lived here for generations and she'd known so many people in that town but they were all most likely dead now. Her eyes pricked but she swallowed the tears and turned from the remains of the town. She had to get to the Jade Palace and stop whoever was doing this no matter what.

She began moving east, traveling as quickly as her hip would allow as she followed the rarely used trails. She picked berries and various fruits along the way to keep her sustained, and drank from creeks or rivers when she came to them. As night began to fall she found a hollowed out tree trunk and crawled inside for the night. She had left her blanket behind and shivered as the cold night moved in. Before the sun went down she peeled back the sash around her waist. Her hip throbbed painfully and the cut was angry and red but trying to form a scab. Blood and a clear liquid oozed from the wound so she covered it back up. Curling into a ball on the cold dirt, she tried to sleep but the bugs in the tree wouldn't leave her alone and she squirmed as they burrowed into her fur and bit at her skin. Even though she got little only a little sleep, she woke the next morning at sunrise and was off again.

Reaching the town of Poun, the closest neighbor to Kia, she found a similar sight. She climbed a tall tree slowly as her hip hindered her, but made it to the top and looked at the town. It was bigger than Kia and was the place where most roads ended up. There wasn't any smoke but the rotting smell told her it had suffered the same fate as Kia. There was so much death and destruction. Why were the rhinos trying to wipe out the valley? She didn't know. She sat in the tree, debating on whether to scavenge the town, but remembered how the rhinos had taken everything from their home and would have done the same to Poun. She climbed down and melted back into the forest and found the trail again. That night she found a tall branch in a tree large enough to support her and she climbed up slowly, using her right leg to support most of her weight. When she reached the branch she was sweating from the pain, and gingerly moved so she'd be comfortable. She looked at the cut and saw it turning blue, and puss was beginning to form. She tried to push the puss out but it hurt too much and she nearly fell out of the tree. Instead she covered it up and tried to fall asleep but it throbbed painfully.

As she traveled, her wound continued to worsen and was beginning to turn a light purple and throbbed constantly, giving off an odd smell. Her hip was becoming stiff, making it hard to walk and she had to find a stick to help support her. It slowed her down but she kept moving. She made for the mountain range; it seemed so far away but got closer every day. On the third day she was feverish, constantly shivering as she tried in vain to stay warm. Saria had just passed a small town that had been wiped out and was chewing on a few berries when she became dizzy. She fell to her hands and knees and was sick, retching even though she fought to keep her meal down. As the waves of nausea subsided, she lay on her side to catch her breath. Her entire leg was hurting as she forced herself to stand and kept moving, leaning on her stick more than ever.

On the sixth day the mountains loomed above her, telling her she was near the pass. She wasn't keeping any food down, retching several times a day whether or not she ate and her leg was nearly numb with pain. Saria didn't know how much further she could go, the pain searing not only her hip, but her leg and abdomen as well. Her leg suddenly gave out on her and she collapsed in the dirt, crying out as she landed on her bad hip. She panted through the pain before pulling herself to her feet as tears streamed down her face. Picturing her family gave her strength, fearing for their lives and relying upon her to bring help made her grit her teeth and she kept moving, all but dragging her leg. She finally reached the mountains, relieved because she didn't know how much farther she could go. Her leg gave out on her a lot, the searing pain making putting weight on it almost too much.

It was late in the evening and she leaned heavily on her walking stick as she peered at the steep incline, trying to decide the best course of action. Saria was weak with fever and hunger, knowing it was going to be much harder than walking on flat ground and she wasn't sure if she had it in her but had to try. Bracing herself she carefully put weight on her left leg, but before she could catch herself she fell. She spit out rocks and dirt and tried again, and again. Every time she tried to put weight on her leg even with the staff it would give out on her. There was no way she was going to walk up that mountain, but that wasn't going to stop her. She pulled herself to her knees, leaning on her right leg as she inched forward. She didn't know how long she crawled; she only focused on making it that next foot.

She crawled all that night and the next day before she reached the peak of the pass and looked down into the Valley of Peace. Her hands and knees were bruised and bloody and she was exhausted, shivering from fever. The sun had just set and in the distance she could see the Jade Palace. Relief swamped her and she crawled towards it, and didn't watch where she was going when she hit the downward slope. Rocks gave way beneath her hands, and caught off guard she slipped and began tumbling down the mountain. She hit various rocks on the way down, bruising and battering her body relentlessly. As hard as she tried she didn't have the strength to stop her fall. She rolled all the way to the bottom of the mountain, the side of her head hitting a rock with a sickening thud, knocking her senseless just before she landed on her left hip at the base of the incline. Her scream pierced the night as wave after wave of agony coursed through her entire body. She fought to stay conscious as her vision blurred, her head throbbing and blood seeping into her eyes from the gash on her head. She tried to move but the pain in her leg paralyzed her.

Tears streamed down her face, both from pain and failure. She had failed to reach the Jade Palace. She would die here and her family would die if they weren't already dead. How many more people would die because she had failed? She knew the rhinos would continue wiping out towns, killing countless innocent people because she had failed. Even though she fought to remain conscious, her vision began to dim. On the verge of passing out she felt something touch her shoulder. She looked up and was able to make out the face of an older goose, her grey feathers streaked with white.

"It's ok," she soothed, clamping a wing over the wound on her head. "You're going to be ok." Saria shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

"Jade… Palace… must… warn…" she managed to whisper before she succumbed to the darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

"I was totally in the zone when I deflected all those metal balls Shen was throwing at me!" Po exclaimed for the hundredth time since they'd returned from Gongmen City. His large belly bumped against the table as he did his victory pose once again. At first they had shared in his excitement, but repetition had a tendency to get old. Everyone ignored him and continued eating dinner. Even so, Po didn't catch on to the hint. "When I threw that last one I was all like…"

"Skadoosh," Mantis finished for him. "We know, you've told us a thousand times."

"Remember panda," Shifu reminded Po as he looked at him with his piercing light blue eyes. "The mark of a true hero is humility."

"In other words you're telling me to shut up?" Po asked. Shifu nodded.

"You learn fast," Shifu replied with a smirk. The Furious Five laughed and Po joined in before he got the hint and settled down to continued eating. They finished dinner and had cleaned up the dishes and were about to go to bed when there was a knock on the door. Shifu's brow drew down into a scowl. People didn't often come knocking this late at night without a good reason. The red panda hopped off his chair with ease despite his disability and limped to the door to find Zeng standing there and sighed.

"What is so important that you have to disturb us this late Zeng?" Shifu asked irritably, his red ears twitching in agitation.

"Master Shifu, there's a message from town. An old goose named Rea who lives near the mountain pass found someone laying at the base and she's badly injured," Zeng talked quickly, wringing his hands nervously.

"Take her to the town doctor then, we're kung fu masters, not healers." Shifu said dismissively and began to close the door.

"But, Master Shifu!" Zeng squeaked. Shifu pinched the bridge of his nose and pulled the door back open to glare at Zeng. "She's a red panda from Turin Valley. Before she lost consciousness she mumbled about the Jade Palace and needing to warn about something!" Shifu froze in shock. Turin Valley was mostly forest and home to several towns of red pandas, including where he'd been born. The red pandas rarely left the valley, and to have one come to the Valley of Peace for help would require a dire situation.

"Have her brought up immediately, and fetch the doctor as well," Shifu instructed. Zeng honked and flew off towards the town, losing numerous feathers along the way. He closed the door and turned to face the others.

"What was that about?" Tigress asked.

"A red panda from Turin Valley has been found at the base of the pass, and is in bad shape." Shifu explained. Tigress frowned.

"But red pandas rarely leave Turin Valley," Tigress said, suspicion in her voice.

"Exactly," Shifu replied. "That's why I'm having her brought here. If she's traveled here by herself to bring a message, something must be wrong." The Furious Five nodded.

"Wait a second," Po piped in. "If red pandas never leave Turin Valley, why are you here Shifu?" Shifu turned to him.

"The way I got here doesn't matter right now," he said. "What matters is that we find out why she traveled here. We'll put her in the spare bedroom in the student barracks for now. Po, did you clean up in there like I asked you last week?" Po's face suddenly fell as he realized he'd forgotten. Shifu saw this and wasn't surprised. He turned to the others.

"Monkey, Crane, I want you to go with Po to the spare bedroom and clean it up before our guest arrives. Be sure to put a bowl of cool water in there with a cleaning cloth as well as fresh cloth for her wounds." They nodded and left. Po followed after them, shouting something about a slumber party. Shifu sighed as he put his hands behind his back and turned to the others. "I'm not sure how bad of shape this panda is in, but it doesn't sound good. We'll find out for sure when the doctor examines her." They all nodded.

"Is there anything we can do, Master?" Viper asked. Shifu shook his head.

"Not until we find more out. You're welcome to go to bed, I'll wait for Zeng to return and get everything taken care of." Viper nodded and headed towards the barracks with Tigress. Mantis waited for a moment and turned to Shifu.

"I don't know why, but I never thought much about where you came from," Mantis said. "It must be nice to be able to see one of your own kind again." With that Mantis headed in the direction of the barracks. Shifu sighed to himself as he stepped outside to wait for Zeng and the young red panda. It was bittersweet; he had thought he'd left everything behind but it seemed to be coming back to haunt him, even here. He shook his headas his thoughts strayed to his childhood. Even though it was years ago, he remembered it like it was yesterday. He was born in Poun, one of the main towns in the Turin Valley. He'd been sent away because…_ Don't be ridiculous _he scolded himself._ She is not here to bring up your past; she is merely a fellow panda who needs help._

His thoughts were interrupted when the front gates opened and a procession came through. He could see by the light of a lamp Zeng was holding in front that two pigs were carrying a stretcher with someone small lying on it. Behind them followed the doctor, and old brown rabbit carrying a bag that was no doubt full of medical supplies. Behind him was an old grey goose who was most likely Rea. They reached the top of the stairs and Shifu led them into the barracks past the Furious Five and Po's rooms and into the spare bedroom. It was a simple room with a bed against the far wall beneath a window with a table to the right of the bed that had the requested stack of cloth and a bowl of water on it as well as a lamp to light the room. There was a bamboo chair to the left of the bed with a large empty fruit bowl sitting on it. A small closet stood open against the right wall, containing various clothes that were rarely used. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere to be found and Shifu smiled. He had had no doubt that they could get it done; especially considering Crane was once a janitor.

"Put her in the bed," Shifu instructed, pointing. The pigs carried the stretcher over to the bed and pulled back the blanket before placing the limp form on the bed. Without a word they lifted the empty stretcher and left the room. Shifu turned to the goose as the rabbit made his way to the bed. "You found her at the bottom of the pass?" Rea nodded.

"I was outside reading a book and I heard something tumbling down the pass and then the most dreadful scream. I went to investigate and found this little panda bleeding badly and barely conscious. I could hardly hear her when she spoke, but I'm sure she said something about the Jade Palace and needing to warn you. I tried to stem the blood from the gash on her head, and could smell something else. It was almost sweet, but it didn't smell right,"

What do you mean it didn't smell right?" Shifu raised an eyebrow.

"I can see what you're talking about," the old rabbit suddenly said. Both Shifu and Rea turned to the doctor. He had lifted her shirt and found the cut on her hip and was unwrapping her makeshift bandage. As soon as he peeled the last layer off the smell hit them. It was indeed a sickly sweet smell and Shifu wrinkled his nose. Even so, he moved closer to the bed and looked at the little panda's face. Shifu could see the doctor had already stitched her head and he gently moved some of her red hair out of the way and saw beneath the blood, dirt and swelling that she was beautiful.

"Can you heal her?" Shifu asked the doctor. The rabbit said nothing, but continued to inspect the wound. Not only had puss found a home in the cut, but the skin around it was a dark purple color. The doctor leaned in and smelled it, then pushed on the wound lightly to push out some puss. He mashed it between his fingers, testing the texture and saying "hmm" as we went. Shifu grimaced but said nothing. The doctor put his hand on her forehead and could feel she was burning with fever. He stuck his finger in her mouth to find that it was cold. Nodding to himself, he turned to Shifu.

"That wound she received was no ordinary cut," the doctor said. "It was made by some kind of blade, perhaps a sword or a spear." He looked at the wound again. "That blade had a poison on it called Qio, or more commonly known as Sleeping Death." Shifu's eyes widened. He'd heard of that poison before, one often used by the rhino clans, the recipe passed down from father to son. It was said that if cut by a blade with Sleeping Death on it and left untreated, the poison would eat at tissue and bone, causing an intense fever. The victim would vomit periodically and fall unconscious and eventually die a slow death. "To answer your question," the rabbit continued, interrupting Shifu's thoughts. "Yes, but it will take time. The poison has progressed to the point that it has eaten into her hip joint, and will severely limit her movement of that leg." Shifu's heart twisted as he recalled how Tai Lung had shattered his hip. He was told he'd never walk again, yet here he was.

"What do we need to do?" Shifu asked as he looked at the wound. The rabbit smiled.

"First, we must clean the cut and get it dressed." The rabbit grabbed a small knife from his bag and several strips of cloth from the table and set them on the bed. He then took the knife and cut through the scab. Using the cloth he scooped out the puss until the wound was clean. He then pulled out an herb known for drawing out infection and ground it with some water into a paste. Smearing the paste in the wound, he then put a square of cloth on the cut before wrapping a bandage around her waist like she'd done before.

The old rabbit rustled in his bag and pulled out three bags of various herbs and handed them to Shifu. They were all common, used to treat various illnesses. He supposed that combined they would cure the poison.

"She will require care around the clock," the rabbit instructed. "The poison will cause her to vomit if it doesn't already so keep a bowl handy. The paste I put in her wound will help draw out the poison and heal it, but her dressing will need to be changed periodically as the infection is pushed out. Steep the herbs I gave you together into a tea, a pinch of each should do. Give it to her whenever she wakes up, hot or cold it doesn't matter. It will help rebuild her strength but it tastes horrid so give her something to wash it down like lemon water or something of that sort. I stitched up the gash behind her ear and they will need to be pulled out when she's healed enough. Otherwise, she just needs time and someone to help her work that hip when she heals enough." Shifu nodded. He looked again at her face and felt sorry for her. Whatever had happened had to have been a lot to drive her to the brink of death to bring them a message.

"Thank you for your help, doctor," Shifu said. "Send me the bill and I'll pay you." But the rabbit only shook his head.

"You protect this valley from those who would make us slaves. There's no charge; it's the least I can do," he smiled as he bowed and grabbed his medicine bag before heading to the door, Shifu right behind him. The moment the doctor was gone, Shifu turned to Rea.

"Thank you for bringing her to us. We'll find out what happened to make her come here and do what we can to set everything right," he assured her as he led her to the door. She nodded.

"I'm just glad I found her when I did. I'm afraid that if I hadn't, she would have died." She looked again at the young panda before leaving the barracks. "I hope she gets better," Ria said softly and she turned to head down the steps back into town. Shifu turned to Zeng who had been waiting outside.

"First thing tomorrow I want you go to the tailor and have her begin making clothes for our guest. She is welcome to come and take measurements." Zeng nodded before flying off for the night. Shifu made his way back into the barracks, deep in thought. The young panda would need someone to care for her and be with her almost all the time. He ran through the names of the people at the Jade Palace, trying to decide who would be best suited to the task but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't think of anyone adequate. Or could he? He was perfectly capable of caring for her, and no one else was up to the job. So that settled it. He would care for her until she was well and he would help her to walk again. As he limped into the barracks, Po came running out of his room, jumping from foot to foot anxiously.

"Is she going to be ok? Is she small like you? What's her name? Is she going to stay here?" Po bombarded him with questions and he lifted his hand to cease it. He put his hands behind his back before he answered.

"I will answer your questions later, but right now I need you to go to my quarters and retrieve my bed," Shifu said. He held up his hand again when Po opened his mouth to speak. "Questions later, bed now." With a confused expression, Po turned and headed towards Shifu's quarters without another word. Shifu turned and went back into the spare room to check on the panda. He pulled the fruit bowl off the chair and on the floor next to the bed. He then moved the bamboo chair to the other side of the bed so it was next to the table. As someone who hated physical contact, Shifu felt a twinge of dread as he dipped the cleaning cloth in the bowl of water and began cleaning the dirt and blood off her, but the feeling soon subsided. Focusing on her face, he wiped the caked blood and dirt from her fur until it was clean. The color of her fur was nearly the same his had been when he was younger. She was even more beautiful than he had previously thought. He then turned to her hair, undoing what was left of her braid. He combed it out with his fingers, pulling the dried blood out of it as he did.

He pulled her clothes off and tossed them into a corner and quickly washed her with the cloth, careful to avoid her feminine parts. He then looked in the closet and found an old blue silk robe. He slipped her right arm into a sleeve before going to the other side of the bed and pulling the robe underneath her to put her left arm into the other sleeve. He then tied the sash in the front, careful to keep it loose so she wouldn't be uncomfortable. He left the blanket off, not wanting to increase her fever more than it already was. He stepped back just as he heard Po approaching with his bed. He walked in the room and set the bed down against the wall and looked at the young panda.

"Wow, she looks a lot like you," He commented thoughtfully. He then scratched his head. "So is she staying?" Po's curiosity always got the better of him.

"Yes," Shifu replied. "We will care for her until she is better, and she'll be able to choose whether or not she wishes to stay." Po nodded.

"Anything else you need, Master?" Po asked. Shifu shook his head. "Night then," he said with a wave as he went to his own room. Shifu pushed his bed until it was a few feet to the left of hers with the bowl between them before he put out the light. He pulled the blanket back and climbed under the covers. He looked at her again, even though he could only see her outline. To see another red panda after so long brought many unique feelings. She definitely was beautiful, and to travel here with such a wound proved she was strong and relentless like him. He looked at her once more, thinking that she did look a little like him before rolling over and going to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

_Saria could see her family in the field calling to her for help, but no matter how fast she ran they seemed to only get further away. It felt as though she was running through quicksand, her legs heavy and leaden. Her path was suddenly blocked by a rhino with a massive spear. Her feet were rooted to the ground and she couldn't move as she struggled to run. Grinning, he thrust his spear into her belly, ripping her open. He stabbed at her again and again, until she was blinded by the pain. He then raised his bloody spear triumphantly, and brought it down on her head._

Saria woke gasping as agony ripped through her hip and her head pounded with unbearable pain. Waves of nausea washed over her and she rolled to her right despite the pain in her hip and nearly fell off the bed as she gagged. A large bowl appeared and she gripped it as she heaved, not caring where it'd come from. Every inch of her body screamed with each wave of nausea that hit her. She felt hands gently pull her hair from her face and another rubbed her back reassuringly. She focused on that hand, trying to push through the pain as tears streamed down her face. Nothing came out of her stomach; there hadn't been anything in it for days. Slowly the nausea subsided and she finally went limp, exhausted. Those same hands gently lifted her and moved her back into the bed as pain continued to rip through her.

The sun was just starting to come over the horizon, light pouring into the room from a window behind her and she wondered how long she'd been unconscious. She wiped away the tears and looked into the ice blue eyes of a handsome red panda. His eyebrows had long turned white along with his mustache, and the red markings on his face had faded with time, leaving them a light brown. Even so his eyes were incredibly intense and she could tell they were capable of holding great joy… and great loathing. Even though they held peace and compassion, she could see by the lines in his face that he'd had a rough life. He wore a green shawl over a simple brown robe that had a flame pattern that lined the cuffs over a green lining. The green silk looked so soft she wanted to touch it, but refrained from doing so.

She gasped again as another wave of pain ripped through her abdomen. He went around her bed to a table on her left and as he moved she could see he had a limp. He retrieved something from the table and turning back to her she saw it was a cup with a foul smell emanating from it.

"Drink this," his deep voice was soft as he handed her the drink. It was cold but she shuddered at the smell and fought down another bout of nausea. "It will help you feel better." He soothed and she relaxed slightly but still stared at the cup in disgust. "I can help you drink it if you don't think you can." She looked at the drink again and wrinkled her nose before turning to him and nodding. He slowly leaned closer and placed one hand on her throat. His touch was gentle as he tilted her head back and took the cup in his other hand and put it to her lips. He tipped the cup and the liquid filled her mouth. It tasted like rotten cabbage and she fought the urge to spit it back out. His hand moved along her throat at various points, causing her to swallow. After all the liquid was down he put the cup back as she coughed, trying not to let it come back up. He returned with another cup, but this one contained water that had been steeped with mint leaves.

"I don't think you'll need much help drinking this," he said with a smile. He put the cup to her lips and she drank willingly, the mint flavor washing away the bad taste. He placed the cup back on the table and turned back to her, sitting on the edge of her bed. Every part of her body hurt, especially her head and her hip, but she tried to sit up anyways and he laid a restraining hand on her shoulder. "You've been unconscious since last night and shouldn't try to get up until you've healed enough." His voice was gentle even though there was concern in his face. She swallowed several times as she worked to find her voice.

"I need to get to the Jade Palace," she said softly, her voice hoarse as she pleaded with him. "Please, it's urgent." He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"You are at the Jade Palace," he told her. "I'm Master Shifu." He bowed his head slightly as he introduced himself. Her eyes widened. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Saria," she said. "I'm from Kia in Turin Valley." Kia? From the map in Shifu's head he knew that was at the far end of the valley.

"The goose who found you said you had a message you needed to get to us," Shifu recalled. "Do you remember what it was?" By the tears that had started to form in her eyes he knew she did. She cried as she told him everything, about how Kia along with all the other towns she passed had been not only been burned to the ground by rhinos, but the people were wiped out as well. She told him about the rhino who had cut her, and how she had run, leaving her family behind.

"I don't know if my family is still alive," she cried. "I shouldn't have left them." She covered her face with her hands as she sobbed. Shifu was stunned. Rhinos were marching through Turin Valley and killing everyone in their way? He couldn't imagine the motive behind such a heinous act, but he intended to find out. Saria cried as though her heart was breaking and he felt the need to comfort her. He hadn't hugged someone in so long, he was nervous as he considered the thought. Since Saria couldn't sit up, he lay down beside her and gently gathered her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest as she cried, but he didn't pull away. It didn't feel as awkward as he'd imagined. It actually felt sort of… right.

"You did what you had to," he said gently. "If you hadn't run, you'd probably be dead, and more people would die before we could find out what was going on." He stroked her hair as she cried until she had no more tears. When she finally settled down he got up and went to the table, coming back with a strip of cloth so she could blow her nose. He sat back down at the edge of the bed and sighed. "The rhino that wounded you had what's called Sleeping Poison on his spear, have you heard of it?" She shook her head. "It's a poison that eats the muscle and bone that it comes in contact with." Her breath caught in her throat. "Because your cut went untreated for so long, it seeped into your hip joint and began eating away at it."

"That's why it kept giving out on me," she said more to herself than him. He nodded.

"Yes and the poison eventually would have killed you."

"But it can get better now and I'll be back to normal, right?" she asked hopefully. But he shook his head.

"You will lose some mobility in that leg I'm afraid," he told her as gently as he could. She looked down at her leg, trying to imagine what it'd be like to be a cripple. She had always been so free and independent; she couldn't see herself being bed ridden for the rest of her life. She shook her head.

"Isn't there anything I can do?" her voice broke and she looked back down at her lap.

"Yes," he said with a smile and she looked up at him curiously. "Many years ago a cub was dropped off here to the Jade Palace. No one ever came looking for him, so I raised him as my own son and named him Tai Lung," he explained. "He showed incredible potential in kung fu so I trained him, believing he was meant to be the Dragon Warrior." He shook his head. "I didn't realize I was turning him into a monster until Oogway said that Tai Lung wasn't meant to be Dragon Warrior. Tai Lung went on a rampage through the town before he came back to the palace and tried to take the scroll by force. I went to intercept him, but hesitated at the last second. Instead of seeing the monster he'd become, I saw the child I'd raised. He took advantage of my moment of hesitation and shattered my hip. Oogway stopped him and Tai Lung was sent to prison, but I was told I'd never walk again." His eyes got mischievous just like her brother's once had, but Saria blinked and he was gone. She looked around and spotted him over by the door. _How did he get there so fast?_ She blinked again and he was sitting next to her once more.

"How did you…" She was at a loss for words. She had never seen anyone move that fast before.

"Patience, discipline, and focus," he told her. "You learn all of those things from kung fu. I can help you get mobility back in your leg, but it will take time… and pain." He emphasized the last word. She wasn't afraid of pain, she had lived with it her entire journey, and it was with her now, constantly reminding her of its presence. But her thoughts strayed back to her family.

"But I don't have time, I have to get back and help my family," she tried to sit up again but he held her down.

"I will send the Furious Five to check on your family as well as find out who is wiping out these towns. You simply need to focus on getting better," he said softly. A lump formed in her throat as she considered his words. She couldn't voice her gratitude so she took his hand and pulled her to him. Caught off guard he stumbled and nearly fell on her as she pulled him to her. He sat for a moment in shock as she hugged him, but recovered and wrapped his arms around her. He still didn't have that crawling feeling he usually got when touching someone and part of his mind wondered about it as the rest marveled at the joy he felt from her hug. It just felt so right and he didn't want to let go but knew he had to.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ear. She slowly let go and allowed him to sit back up and he tried to regain his composure.

"So what happened to Tai Lung?" she asked, changing the subject.

"He was…"Shifu began to explain.

"He was defeated by the _true_ Dragon Warrior… Me!" Po yelled as he barged into the room. Saria stared at him in disbelief. He was the biggest panda she'd ever seen, his huge belly constantly jiggling as he moved. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Saria," She answered.

"So you're our visitor for the time being?" Po grinned. Saria looked at Shifu, confused.

"Yes," he told her. "You can stay with us for as long as you like." She smiled, relieved.

"Welcome to the most awesome kung fu palace in the entire world! You get to be trained by the best of the best, the legendary Master Shifu!" He raised his arms dramatically when he talked, making Saria want to laugh. "Who's hungry?" Po asked suddenly, rubbing his belly and licking his lips. Saria's stomach rumbled at the thought of food. She didn't realize how hungry she was until then.

"We'll start you out light until we know for sure you can keep food down," Shifu told her. Even though she was starving, she agreed. He turned to Po. "Take some of the broth from the soup you made last night and warm it up if you please, but leave everything else out of it."

"Sure thing," Po said. "Do you want anything Shifu?" Shifu thought a moment.

"Yes I'll have some oatmeal," he told Po.

"Put slices of apples and some cinnamon in it, it's to die for," Saria told him. Shifu looked at her for a moment, then shrugged and nodded at Po. He sauntered out of the room and headed for the kitchen. Saria shifted slightly and gasped as pain shot through her hip. She trembled as the pain gripped her and she fought a wave of nausea. Shifu sat by with the bowl ready in case, but she shook her head. She closed her eyes to try and stop the room from spinning, but was unsuccessful. She started to gag and Shifu held her head up as she gripped the bowl, keeping her hair out of the way. Her stomach was emptied and she lost the tea she needed to regain her strength. Her head throbbed and her vision clouded, but she fought to remain conscious.

"Maybe we should hold off on the food for a while," he offered, but she shook her head.

"Please, I'm so hungry I have to try," she said after her retching stopped. "It may make me feel better." Shifu sighed but said nothing. He handed her another piece of cloth to clean her mouth and took the bowl to dump it. When he returned she looked like she'd fallen asleep, so he quietly put the bowl back on the floor next to the chair before sitting back down. She turned her head and looked at him, her vivid green eyes glazed with pain. Gently he touched her forehead and she was still burning with fever, but she wasn't as hot as she had been. He tried to think of something to ease the pain so she could sleep comfortably. What had Oogway given him when his hip had been shattered? As he pondered this, the Furious Five gathered at the door.

"May we come in Master Shifu?" Viper asked. Shifu turned to the group and nodded.

"This is Saria," he told them as they filed in and surrounded her bed. Mantis jumped up on the bed and ran up her leg, but he was so small she could barely feel it. He sat on her stomach and grinned.

"Hey there, I'm Mantis!" He greeted. He tilted his head and studied her face. "Huh," he said. "You look a lot like Master Shifu. You two could be related!" Saria shook her head.

"The only family I had in Turin Valley lived in Kia, and they were wiped out." Her eyes filled with tears at the thought but she refrained from crying. She still wanted to believe her family was alive. Shifu secretly sighed in relief. His family had been in Poun so there was no way they could be related.

"You just haven't seen another red panda before," Shifu said. "I grew up in Poun, the main town in the Turin Valley." He turned to Saria. "Did you see it on your way here?" She nodded.

"It was destroyed like everything else, I'm so sorry," she said softly. Shifu heart sank. Everyone was dead? His family had been there, which meant they too were probably dead. Faces of family members swam in his mind as he went through them. They all were dead, along with the children and spouses he'd never met. He fought back tears, something he hadn't had to do in a long time, and Saria laid a reassuring hand on his. There was a collective gasp. People didn't touch Shifu as it was well known he despised intimate contact, but instead he took her hand in his and squeezed it gratefully. Crane's jaw dropped along with everyone else's as they stared in stunned silence and Saria quickly pulled her hand away, blushing.

"I have a job for you all," Shifu said, pulling their attention back to him. "Turin Valley is under attack by rhinos and by the sound of it, it's not random. Someone is directing them and we need to find out who it is." Everyone nodded. "When you get to Kia, I want you to go to Saria's house to find out if her family is still alive." Saria prayed they'd find her family intact, but her thoughts strayed. Why had they responded like that? Was there something she didn't know? She pondered on it as he continued. "Find out everything you can about this army before you attack, and when you do focus on their leader. When it comes to rhinos, if the leader falls the army will scatter." Everyone nodded before leaving for breakfast. Po returned with a bowl in each hand and the smell of cinnamon filled the room. Saria's heart ached as she thought about her mother, but pushed it away as she was handed a bowl of broth. It smelled nice and she drank it slowly to see what her stomach would do. It didn't protest so she continued drinking. Po left again to eat his own breakfast after Shifu told him the situation and that he'd be joining the furious five. When her bowl was empty, Shifu took it from her and set it on the table.

"How is the oatmeal? She asked. He nodded.

"It's very good, how did you discover this?"

"My mother made it for us every morning," she said softly and a thought struck her. "Why did those guys react the way they did when I touched you?"

He sighed. "After Tai Lung was sent to prison, I vowed to myself I wouldn't corrupt anyone else and I believed that to prevent it I wouldn't get close to any of my students ever again. All these years I've kept my distance, avoiding touching people as much as possible." It was so easy to talk to her. "The Furious Five hasn't really seen anyone touch me without me pulling away, that's why they were shocked. Even though Tai Lung was defeated and I found peace, I still didn't like being touched. But that changed with you," he shook his head. "I don't know why but touching you doesn't bother me." To prove his point he gently took her hand in his, stroking her palm. She felt a curious fluttering in her stomach and heat spread but she ignored it, instead focusing on the warmth of his hand. He squeezed her hand before pulling away and grabbing their empty bowls and the two cups. "You need to rest," he told her. "I'll be back with some more tea." She wrinkled her nose but didn't protest.

After he left she closed her eyes. Her body still throbbed but she tried to push it away and instead she thought about Shifu. He was indeed handsome and sweet, and she already enjoyed being around him. Why didn't he mind touching her? Whatever the reason, she was grateful. She fell asleep thinking about him but woke when Shifu gently shook her.

"I'm sorry to wake you," he said. "But you need to drink and I need to change your bandage." He held up the foul smelling cup. "Would you like help again?" She nodded. He again put the cup to her lips and helped her swallow before giving her the mint water. With the broth in her stomach it didn't protest like it had when it'd been empty. He leaned closer and undid her sash. He was close enough that she could smell his woodsy scent and she felt that strange flutter again. Pulling her robe open he peeled back the sash and inspected the wound. The poison was already being pushed out as the bandage was green and he carefully peeled it off before placing a clean one on the wound. His touch was gentle but it hurt nonetheless and she bit her lip as she tried to refrain from screaming. He carefully replaced the sash before tying her robe back shut. He had tried to avoid staring at her body, but he had to admit that she did have a nice figure.

"I think the tea will stay down this time," she said hopefully.

"Good," he nodded. "Get some sleep; you need to regain your strength." With that she closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_Saria found herself in front of her house but when she ran inside it was dark and empty. She searched the rooms as she called for her parents and little brother but the only sound she could hear was her own voice echoing through the house. Shadows filled the doorway and she turned to find them standing there, but something was wrong. Their faces were not only blank, but their bodies were mangled. Her mother's face was mutilated and she was missing an arm and her little brother had a gaping hole in his chest where his heart should have been and his jaw was missing. Her father's throat was cut along with several holes in his chest and he was covered in blood. The smell of rot was so intense that it made Saria want to gag and she saw maggots feasting on the rotten flesh. They began to walk towards her, their movements jerky. _

_"Why did you leave us?" her mother asked accusingly. "We died because you left us."_

_"But I had to get help!" she cried. "I had to go to the Jade Palace!" But they only shook their heads as they advanced on her. Her back hit a wall and she realized she was trapped. They got so close to her that she could feel their fetid breath on her face. "Please," she begged. "Don't hurt me."_

_"You killed us," her father whispered as his cold fingers wrapped around her throat._

Saria woke screaming as terror gripped her, her heart pounding against her chest as she fought to breathe. Shifu was there instantly, fear on his face as he anxiously checked her over. Saria tried to push the vivid images from her mind as tears burned in her eyes.

"What is it?" Shifu asked anxiously. "What's wrong?" The sun had just begun to rise and he had been reading one of several scrolls he'd brought up from the library when she'd screamed. It had scared him witless and he'd rushed over to see what was wrong. Saria shook her head as she fought back tears.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I had a nightmare." Shifu relaxed, relieved that nothing was physically wrong, and sat next to her. It had been four days since the furious five had left for Turin Valley and Saria was healing well but she was still having nightmares.

"Would you like to talk about it?" he asked gently. She studied his face for a moment, considering. She had already grown fond of him and felt a pulling towards him that both scared and excited her. She wanted to share everything about herself with him, both the good and bad. His honest concern for her moved her like nothing else could and she felt her heart twist in her chest.

"I saw my parents and little brother," she said softly. "Except they were dead. They were mutilated and the smell was horrible. They kept asking me why I'd left them and that they had died because I'd left. My father put his hands around my throat and tried to choke me." She touched her throat as though she could still feel his cold hands there and shivered. Shifu gently pulled her hand from her throat and stroked her palm with his thumb.

"It was just a dream," he said reassuringly but she shook her head.

"It was so _real_ though. Maybe they did die because I left them," Grief welled up within her so fast, she couldn't stop the few tears that leaked out and Shifu gently wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"It was a dream," he said again. "There's still a chance your family could be alive and you can't blame yourself for what happened. What's done is done, you are here now and getting better all the time. When you walk again we'll go together to bring this enemy down," he promised her. "But for now, you need more rest."

"I don't know if I can go back to sleep," she said, frowning. "I'm worried I'll have more nightmares." Shifu stroked her hand absentmindedly as he thought and an idea came to him.

"I'll be right back," he said with a smile and he was gone before she could blink. She shook her head, still amazed at his speed. He was back within moments with a cup and what looked like a short bamboo stick. He gave her more foul tea before he sat cross legged on his own bed and put one end of the stick to his lips and blew. It wasn't a stick, but a flute and each note seemed to ring deep within her as he played. Peace filled her and her eyelids began to droop.

"It's… beautiful," she slurred as her eyes closed. Shifu only stopped playing when he was sure she was asleep. He'd always loved playing his flute and it was a truly beautiful sound that he never tired of. He had played her a lullaby his mother used to sing him when he was a little boy. He set it aside before resuming reading his scrolls in case he needed it again. It was midday before he stretched his cramped muscles. He wasn't used to doing nothing all day and had pent up energy to spend. He looked outside longingly and an idea began to form.

Careful not to wake her, he tiptoed out of the room and outside into the courtyard. He took a deep breath of fresh air and savored the breeze before going across the yard and into the kitchen. He packed two each of cups, bowls and chopsticks into a sack along with vegetables, fruit and dumplings. He took the sack back to the spare room and put his flute in the sack as well as an old blanket from the closet. He then gently gathered her in his arms and cradled her to his chest like a child, pleased to see she was lightweight, and went back outside. She was still sleeping when he went behind the Jade Palace and began climbing the trail that wound around the mountain.

The Jade Palace sat near the top of one of many mountains that lined the Valley of Peace. Fog draped like scarves over most of the peaks, lending a surreal look to them. The Jade Palace stood over the Valley of Peace like a silent guardian, the people who lived there always ready to defend the people. Shifu carried Saria up the mountain with ease, hardly noticing her weight as he walked. It was nice to get out and stretch his legs after being cooped up for five days.

Saria was dreaming that she was lying in a hammock rocking on a ship, the sun in her face and a breeze blowing through her hair when she slowly began to wake. She quickly realized that she was actually rocking and the sun in her eyes blinded her as she tried to see. Her eyes slowly adjusted and she was surprised to find Shifu carrying her like a child. He moved at a brisk pace and didn't seem to mind her weight at all as he climbed the trail. Her body constantly brushed against his and she blushed at the intimate contact. She shifted slightly and he looked down and smiled.

"Did you have a nice nap?" he asked and she nodded.

"Yes, thank you. Where are we going?" She looked around curiously and couldn't see the Jade Palace anywhere.

"It's a surprise." He had that mysterious twinkle in his eyes again and she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to. In the meantime she allowed herself to relax in his arms and wrapped one arm around his neck and laid her head back on his shoulder. Even though she was a little flustered at the idea of being carried, she had to admit that it was nice to be so close to him. She had gotten to know him over the past few days as he told her stories of his adventures. Saria's mind kept wandering to the question as to how he got to the Jade Palace and she had to wonder why he'd left Turin Valley, since red pandas rarely ever left the safety of the forest. She wanted to ask him, but refrained for fear of him getting angry with her.

Shifu had spent most of his life in the Jade Palace, training in Kung Fu every day until he lived and breathed it. Many forces had tried countless times to take the Valley of Peace and destroy the masters, but none had succeeded. He even told her stories about Tai Lung and the good times they'd had together. Oogway had taught him many things, and had been like a father to Shifu since he was a boy and to lose him had been hard. As grandmaster of the palace Shifu was the leader now, his green shawl the symbol of his status. It was a big responsibility but he seemed to handle it with ease like he did many things. He was handsome, kind and protective of those he cared for, but she could sense loneliness in him. When she thought about it, she saw him as someone who stands as the guardian at the gate, protecting innocents from the world and caring for the needs of others. Yet no one had thought to care for his wants and needs. He always gave and rarely received in return and he would eventually run out of things to give.

She found that she wanted to be the one to ease the lines that years of stress and pain had caused and replace them with lines of joy and love. One way or another she had to admit to herself that she did have feelings for him even though they'd only just met. She felt drawn to him like a moth to a flame and she wanted to care for him instead of the other way around. From what she'd gathered by the way the Furious Five acted towards him, he hadn't been friendly to people in years. Yet she didn't see that cold side of him, instead he was always sweet and happy around her, often smiling and making her feel happy and well… loved. She tasted the word in her mind, turning it over and over, wondering if it could be true. Could he share the same feelings that she did?

Her thoughts were interrupted when something caught her eye. She looked ahead of them and gasped when she saw where they were. There was a beautiful crescent pond with the clearest water she'd ever seen and several waterfalls streamed down the side of the curving cliff wall that enclosed the meadow. There was an extremely tall rock near the pond with another rock perched horizontally on it and she had to wonder how it had gotten up there let alone how it kept from falling. He set her down so she could rest her back against the large rock and pulled the pack off his back and set it next to her.

"Where are we?" She whispered the words for fear of disturbing such a beautiful and tranquil place.

"This is the Pool of Sacred Tears, the place where Master Oogway unraveled the mysteries of Kung Fu. I thought we'd come here for a little picnic." He smiled at her before he reached into the pack and pulled everything out and filled their cups from a nearby waterfall before sitting beside her. He gave her half of the fruits, vegetables and dumplings and served the rest for himself. They ate in silence for a few minutes and she stared at the pool as she thought. "What's on your mind?" She turned to find him watching her curiously, his head tilted slightly and she thought he looked incredibly cute like that. She realized she was staring and quickly turned away.

"I was wondering," she pushed her food with her chopsticks, avoiding his gaze. "Why did you leave Turin Valley?" There, she'd asked it. She waited for him to explode but when nothing happened she looked back at him to find him frowning, deep in thought. "You don't have to tell me." She quickly said, afraid she'd touched a sensitive spot. "I was just curious is all." But instead he turned back to her patted her hand reassuringly.

"It's alright, I don't mind. It's just been so long since I've thought about it, I was caught a little off guard." He continued eating for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. "I told you I was born in Poun." She nodded. "Believe it or not I was a bit of a troublemaker." Saria's jaw dropped so quickly she had to look down to make sure it hadn't hit the ground and Shifu laughed. "Yes, surprising I know. Anyways I had a friend named Tao, a red panda who was taller than me and much tougher. I looked up to him and saw him as a big brother and followed him everywhere. Well he was a troublemaker as well, often stealing things and lying about it, and he loved to bully others. I was always by his side, and people saw that and soon I was considered one of the 'bad kids'." Shifu shook his head in sadness and looked down. "One day, Tao pushed it too far. He began picking on a young rhino girl, teasing her and pulling at her clothes. I tried to stay out of the way but Tao made me help him get her cornered in an alley. She tried to scream but he punched her and she quieted down. He wanted me to hold her down but I refused, I was too scared. He told me to either hold her down or he would claim that I had hurt her, but I ran away.

"I heard later that Tao had tried to rape her, but the young rhino's boyfriend Sin Dao saw what Tao was trying to do and attacked him. But he was too fast and began to beat on Sin Dao. Tao was furious about being interrupted and didn't stop when Sin Dao was on the ground, and he killed him. Sin Dao's brother, Enlai, went mad with grief and broke into Tao's home and slit his throat. Because of that he was sent to prison and I was told to leave the valley. I couldn't blame them; I was seen as a bad kid, so I left. I came here to the Valley of Peace where Oogway found me and took me in. I've been here ever since." He looked back up at Saria and saw something he didn't expect: Compassion. She didn't hate him like many others had, instead she was caring and understanding and that moved him like nothing else ever could. He was baring his soul to her and he realized it was in safe hands.

Without thinking, he gently slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She in turn put her arm around him and lay her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She had a feeling that what Shifu had told her he'd never told anyone else. He was sharing a part of himself with her and she felt honored to have his trust. She took his hand that was on his lap in hers and twined their fingers together but he didn't pull away, instead he stroked his thumb across hers. She didn't want the moment to ever end, but it had to eventually. He released his arm around her waist as she sat up. A thought came to mind and she turned to him.

"Could you help me with something?" He looked at her curiously.

"What would that be?" He asked.

"Help me stand up."

"Are you sure you're ready? It's only been a couple of days." He didn't want her to get hurt and if she tried to stand she could fall and damage her hip more. But she simply smiled.

"I won't know if I don't try." He thought for a moment before nodding to himself.

"If you say so, you're the only one who can know for sure if you're ready." He remembered Oogway saying once. "I'll catch you if you fall." He got up to kneel in front of her and she placed her hands on his shoulders while he held onto her hips. She placed most of her weight on her right leg as he helped her to stand, and her hip didn't protest as much as she'd thought. It only ached a little and she was soon standing. She was almost as tall as him, but not quite.

"I did it!" She grinned with pride at her accomplishment and he couldn't help but smile in return.

"Yes you did, it's a big step to you walking again." He nodded approvingly. She put some weight on her left leg and it took it, for a moment. It gave out on her and she began to fall, but true to his word Shifu caught her. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she fell against him to hold her up.

"Thanks," she said softly as she regained her footing. It was then that she realized just how close they were. She was pressed against him and her arms were still around his neck and his were around her waist. She couldn't stop herself from looking up at him and their noses touched but neither pulled away. Captured by his gaze, she couldn't do anything but stare at him like a love struck girl and noticed that he looked a little nervous. She wanted to give him space and forced herself to look down as she blushed and pulled away.

He hadn't expected the intimate contact and it had both excited and scared him. He knew she saw the nervousness in his eyes and had turned away so he wouldn't feel uncomfortable. He wanted to be with her but it was foreign territory and he was awkward when it came to love. Maybe if he just let things fall where they may instead of trying to control it, everything would work out.

She tried again to put weight on her left leg and it held. He didn't want to let her go but did anyways so she could stand by herself, but remained close just in case. She took a step and had to catch herself with her right leg but didn't fall. She limped a few more steps and smiled. She was _walking._ And the doctor had said she'd lose the mobility in her leg. Even though it ached, she was able to walk and that's what mattered. Shifu couldn't help but smile with pride at her determination. He gathered up the supplies and put them back into the pack and pulled out the blanket and spread it out near the pool.

"Care to join me?" he asked and she turned. He was standing near the blanket and held a hand out to her. She limped to him and placed her hand in his. He helped her to sit on the blanket before sitting beside her. The sun was just beginning to set and she watched it in awe. Oranges mixed with pinks and purples as the sun disappeared from sight behind the far mountains and the moon claimed the sky. They simply sat together and enjoyed each other's company even after the sun had long since set. She lay back and looked up at the stars, amazed by the sheer number of them. He lay beside her and she curled up against him as he put his arm around her. A shooting star shot across the sky, lighting it up for several moments before vanishing from sight.

"Make a wish," he murmured and she did before she fell asleep in his arms, praying that her wish would come true.


	6. Chapter 6

The sky was beginning to lighten when Saria woke from a peaceful slumber. She stretched languidly and realized she was still curled up with Shifu, his arm around her shoulders. The events of the previous day came flooding back as she remembered the picnic and the story he'd told her as well as him helping her to stand. She couldn't help but blush at the thought of how close they'd been, but he'd seemed so nervous. The last thing she wanted was to push him so she'd backed off despite the fact that she had considered kissing him. Even though she was inexperienced in the field of love, she wasn't scared of what could happen between them; in fact she wanted it more than anything.

Even though making a wish from a shooting star seemed childish, she'd made one anyways. She'd wished that she would have the privilege of being with Shifu now and forever, whether it would be just as friends, or more. Just to be in his life would be enough for her. She loved how she could make him smile and laugh when he'd had so much pain and suffering in his life. He was always there for others, and she would always be there for him. Smiling at the thought, she hugged him and was surprised when he in turn pulled her closer. She sat up slightly to find him awake and smirked.

"Did I wake you?" But he shook his head.

"I've been awake for a while; I just didn't want to disturb you." He smiled and stretched before sitting up. The sun was just below the horizon and he helped her stand. He then packed the blanket back into the sack and they headed back to the Jade Palace together. He had wanted to carry her but she insisted on walking, so he walked next to her but remained close in case she fell. The Jade Palace was several miles out and they walked slowly, talking about various things as though the previous day's awkward moment hadn't happened. He never mentioned the story he'd told her so she never brought it up.

They finally reached the Jade Palace by midmorning and Saria was relieved because she was a little sore from the distance. Even though she limped quite a bit, she was still glad to be on her feet again. They entered the yard to find the Furious Five and Po moving restlessly. When they saw Shifu and Saria they ran to them, relieved to see them.

"Where have you been?" Po exclaimed. "We returned last night and you weren't here!"

"Apologies, we were at the Pool of Sacred Tears." Po looked from one to the other suspiciously before shrugging.

"We went to Turin Valley like you requested, Master." Tigress moved in front of Po. "Everything Saria said is true, entire towns have been destroyed, including Poun and Kia, but we found no trace of the army. However there were many rhino tracks so we believe it is indeed an army of rhinos."

"Did you go to my home? Is my family ok?" Tigress said nothing, instead held out her paw. Saria hesitantly held out her hand and Tigress dropped something wooden into her palm. Looking at the object, Saria's heart shattered. It looked like an ordinary carved stick that had been badly scorched, except when she brushed away some of the ash she could make out a name carved untidily in the wood. Yoshu. She fought tears as she held the stick to her chest.

"I'm sorry," Viper said softly. "We buried them in the backyard." Saria nodded before turning to the others. She bowed to hide her tears.

"Thank you for checking for me, and for burying them so their souls can be at peace." She struggled to speak through the lump in her throat as grief threatened to choke her. She turned and limped away without another word. Shifu wanted to follow her and comfort her, but he let her go. Instead he addressed the Furious Five.

"You couldn't find the army?" he asked.

"They seemed to up and vanish from the valley, but they left plenty of proof of their presence." She shook her head. "We didn't find a single living red panda anywhere." Shifu sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"We have no choice but to wait for them to resurface, and they will." He hated to leave it be and wait for them to show themselves again but he had no choice. They couldn't just go looking for them, it would take months, years even and they had to wait for them to show themselves before taking action.

"What about Saria?" Po asked. He liked the little panda and didn't want to see her go.

"She will stay with us for as long as she wishes, seeing as she has no family to go home to." It saddened him deeply to think of the pain she must be in and he looked around for her. He spotted her a long ways off on the cliff by the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom and his heart ached for her. "Thank you all for going to Turin Valley, you may take the rest of the night off, but training will resume tomorrow." They all bowed and left, except for Po who looked at Saria with a worried expression.

"Is she going to be ok?" Po couldn't imagine the grief she must feel.

"I don't know," Shifu said softly. "Come, let's leave her be." He glanced at her one last time before going into the kitchen where the others had gathered with Po right behind him.

Saria had walked without the thought of where she was going. She found herself at the peach tree and sat at the cliff's edge. She rolled the stick in her fingers as she thought about her little brother and the way his eyes would twinkle when he played with his makeshift sword. Her parents had loved them both so much and had done everything for them, and she'd left them to die. The tears came and there was no stopping them as they slid down her face like gentle fingers, but there was no soothing the ache in her very soul. She was overwhelmed with grief so intense that it drowned out everything else and she was left with nothing but the pain. It seemed like an endless sea of loss and heartache and she didn't see a way out. The only thing she could think of that would soothe her would be to die. Time meant nothing to her and the sun began to set as a storm drifted in, yet she remained where she was.

When she had no more tears it began to rain and lightning danced across the sky like graceful dancers, accented by large crashes of thunder. The very heavens seemed to voice its grief for her as torrents of rain replaced her tears. She grew cold and began to shiver as her body went numb but she didn't move. It was dark before Shifu finally gave in and went out to her in the rain. He was soaked by the time he reached her and he put a hand on her shoulder, she didn't respond and he could feel that she was cold. Fearing she may get sick, he picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the barracks and into the spare room. Her expression was blank and she didn't seem to notice when he set her in the chair and quickly pulled off her clothes before wrapping her in a towel. He dried her and put her in the dark blue robe with a golden dragon across the back that the tailor had made for her, and cupped her face with his hands.

"Look at me," he commanded softly. Her glazed eyes looked at him and the pain he saw there nearly brought him to his knees. "We will bring justice to those who are responsible for this." Her lower lip trembled slightly but she said nothing and he put her in bed and covered her with her blanket along with his own and several others from the closet as she shivered. He went to his own room to dry off and put on a clean robe before returning to find her still freezing. He paced back and forth he waited for her to warm up, but she didn't and he was getting worried. She needed a heat source if she was going to get warm anytime soon and he got an idea.

He pushed his bed until it was against hers and climbed in. He lay on his side facing her and pulled the covers over himself while still keeping her covered. She quickly realized what he was doing and put her arms around him when he pulled her to him. He shivered slightly from her cold body as she pressed against him but he simply rested his chin on the top of her head. She slowly began to warm and her shivering soon stopped and her breathing evened out. He knew she was asleep when her arms loosened around him. He found that lately she often fell asleep in his arms, something he'd never experienced and thoroughly loved. He gently kissed her forehead before falling asleep himself.

…

Saria fell into a deep depression, saying few words to anyone and eating little. She often sat by herself while the others trained. Shifu tried to give her space, but he could only take so much. Seeing her so depressed tore him to pieces and he longed to do something about it but came up blank. He became worried when he saw her eyeing various sharp objects with a sort of longing and told himself he was overreacting, but he wasn't.

Grief seemed to have ripped a hole clean through Saria's soul, leaving nothing but a void of pain and loss. She wanted nothing more than to die, to rip out her broken heart so she wouldn't have to feel pain anymore. She considered various ways of ending her life, looking at various sharp objects and wondering which would be the best and managed to slip a simple kitchen knife up her sleeve after everyone had left the kitchen one night.

Shifu had become very worried and tried to watch her like a hawk but with the Furious Five and Po taking up most of his time, she had plenty of time to herself. However, he knew something was wrong when she gave him a hug out of nowhere one morning and left without a word. He went into the training hall where the kung fu masters were training and began pacing.

"What's wrong, Master?" Viper asked when he hadn't begun to lecture them on techniques.

"It's Saria," he said finally. He told them about how she had hugged him and left without saying anything. "She's been so depressed lately and it's scaring me." He continued to pace. Viper's eyes widened.

"You don't think she'd…" She left the question hanging in the air.

"I don't know," he said honestly as he paced.

"Wait a sec," Po said suddenly and everyone turned to him. "Um, one of the kitchen knives was missing this morning." A chill went down Shifu's spine and he paled.

"Oh no," he whispered and ran outside, followed by everyone else. They looked frantically for Saria and Monkey went to the roof and finally found her sitting next to a tree behind the barracks and swore he could see something silver. "Go back into the training hall, I'll handle this." Shifu knew that he would have to do this alone and they all nodded and went back inside as he ran to try and stop her.

Saria sat staring at the blade in her hands, at her salvation. One precise cut and she'd be with her family again, free from the pain of her grief. Nothing else mattered, not even Shifu. The temptation was too sweet and she placed the knife to her jugular and closed her eyes as a single tear slid down her cheek. But before she could cut herself her hand was pulled away from her throat and the knife taken away from her. She opened her eyes to find Shifu kneeling beside her, holding her wrist in one hand and the knife in the other. He casually tossed the knife and it landed blade down in the ground several feet from them.

"Killing yourself won't bring your family back," he said softly as he gently stroked her wrist. "It will only rid this world of an amazing person." He wanted to be angry with her for wanting to leave him but he couldn't, he only felt sorrow for her pain.

"How can I be amazing when I left my family to die? If I had stayed…"

"You would have been killed along with them," he interrupted her. "Your parents didn't want you to die with them; they gave their lives so that you could live. You would throw their sacrifice away so easily?"

"Please," she pleaded as more tears escaped. "All I want is to die." But he shook his head.

"No you don't. If you wanted to die you wouldn't have run to get help. You wouldn't have persisted when you got sick and your hip gave out on you. And you certainly wouldn't have made it here." His fingers trailed down her cheek, wiping away her tears. "Your parents saw not only that you have a good heart, but that you're strong willed, compassionate, and you'll do anything for those you love. They willingly gave their lives because they knew you'd be able to survive the grief of their deaths so that you could prevent such pain from happening to anyone else. I see all that in you, and more. If you can't live to bring justice for them, then live for me."

"Why?" The one word he'd feared. She was going to make him say it. She saw the nervousness return to his eyes but he took a deep breath to steady himself.

"Because I love you." The three words he'd thought never escape his lips again, but there they were. They hung in the air as he waited to see what she would do. He was offering his heart to her; would she make him or break him? He waited nervously for her to say something, anything as the silence stretched.

"I love you, too," she barely whispered the words and he almost didn't hear her. Almost. Relief and joy flooded his heart as he gently pulled her to her feet and hugged her to him. _She loves me._ The thought rang in his head over and over and he couldn't believe it. Shifu finally pulled back enough to look at her but didn't let her go. The sadness in her emerald green eyes mingled with love and there was no hesitation when he leaned down slightly and captured her mouth with his. Her lips were far softer than he'd ever imagined and he found himself caught in a world of feeling as he pulled her closer. She became pliant and relaxed in his arms, savoring the feel of his mouth moving against hers as her knees went weak. Her lips parted in a breathless moan and he took the opportunity to explore her mouth, his tongue dancing and dueling with her own until they were both breathless with excitement. He took one last indulgent kiss before pulling away to rest his forehead against hers. He wanted to take her right then and there, but it wasn't the time or place.

Neither of them noticed Po come around the corner. He had been worried about Saria and when they didn't return immediately he'd gone to check on them. He stopped when he saw them hugging and was going to give them privacy, but when he saw them kiss, his jaw dropped. _I guess that's one way to make someone feel better_, Po thought to himself as he quickly made his way back to the training hall, pretending he hadn't seen anything. However, the obnoxious whistling gave him away and the Furious Five asked if everything was ok.

"Um… Yeah… Sure. Everything is just… Fine." He fidgeted with his fingernails and Tigress' eyes narrowed as she stood in front of him, blocking his way.

"What is it Po?" The sternness in her voice told him that she wasn't playing around.

"Well, they hugged… and well… sort of… kissed." He finally said, avoiding her eyes.

"They, _what_?" Tigress tried to envision her foster father kissing someone but it just didn't click. He never did anything of the sort and to have him supposedly fall in love made her suspicious. She remembered everything with Tai Lung all too well and she wasn't about to let that happen again. Shifu was just starting to come around and Saria wasn't about to ruin it.

"Can I assume that you won't try anything stupid again?" Shifu asked Saria and she nodded.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "It just hurts so much to have lost them."

"It will heal with time," he told her. "I'll be here to help you." He was right; she would never be alone again, and she knew that as they headed back to the training hall hand in hand.


	7. Chapter 7

Shifu gave Saria's hand a quick squeeze before he let go to push open the door to the training hall. She tried to hide behind him but he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her next to him.

"It's ok," he whispered in her ear before turning to the others.

"How'd it go?" Mantis asked, eyeing Shifu's arm around Saria's waist.

"Everything is fine," he told them. Before he could say anything else, Saria swallowed her fear and stepped forward.

"I'm sorry for my behavior over the last couple of days." She forced herself to look at all of them. "It was just really hard to lose my family and I felt utterly alone, but Shifu changed that." She reached back and grabbed his hand and he squeezed it gently. "I care about all of you and I hope my feelings for Shifu won't change anything." Everyone grinned and cheered as they jumped on her, knocking her to the ground as she laughed and they voiced their joy for her and Shifu, everyone except Tigress. She glared at Saria with a deep loathing before turning and stalking off, but Po waved it off.

"Give her some time; she hated my guts when I first got here." He said, laughing at the memory of her telling him to leave that one night in the barracks.

"That's enough," Shifu said with a chuckle and everyone got off her and Shifu helped Saria to her feet, her cheeks red and her eyes dancing with laughter.

"It's about time Shifu found someone to keep him in check," Crane said with a laugh.

"Speaking of being kept in check," Shifu said. "Let's get training." While the others practiced their usual routines, Shifu began working with Saria on how to move with her hip. It didn't ache anymore but it was stiff and a little hard to move, giving her a limp. Tigress had returned and was watching them while she practiced with a scowl on her face. Shifu was helping Saria with stretching techniques to help with her flexibility. She was balancing on her right foot while pulling her left knee to her chest as Shifu held onto her shoulders to keep her stable. She fought against the stiffness as she pulled until her knee was touching her chest. She let her leg back down and smiled.

"What's next?" She asked, anxious to keep moving.

"Patience," he said as he squeezed her shoulders gently. "Keep working on that stretch until there's no stiffness." She nodded and did the stretch several more times until she could do it without him holding onto her. "Good," he nodded. He showed her various other stretches and had her work on them for the rest of the afternoon. She was exhausted when they left the training room for the night and she was ready to crawl into bed. Since she didn't need Shifu with her all the time, he'd had his bed returned to his own room so she could have the spare room to herself. She made her way up to her room after dinner and got into bed. She was drifting off when she heard her door open and close. She looked up to find Tigress standing over her and froze.

"Tigress," she tried to hide the surprise in her voice. "What can I do for you?"

"I know what you're doing," Tigress' eyes glowed a feral orange and she growled as she bared her teeth in a snarl. "You're just Tai Lung in another body. Shifu has just started coming around and then you come here wounded so he'll take pity on you." She shook her head and leaned closer as Saria paled. "I won't let you hurt Shifu. Stay away from him or I'll make you wish you were never born." She whispered as she trailed a razor sharp claw down her cheek, before turning and stalking from the room. Saria lay back when Tigress left and took a deep breath as she tried to calm her pounding heart.

Why would Tigress think that Saria was out to hurt Shifu? She thought back to the story of Tai Lung. Shifu had loved Tai Lung dearly and when he'd betrayed Shifu, Shifu had changed. He'd become cold to others until after Tai Lung was killed by Po twenty years later. Saria knew that Tigress had been adopted by Shifu from the Bao Gu Orphanage not long after Tai Lung had been sent to jail and had grown up at the Jade Palace. Tigress was just trying to look out for Shifu, but Saria would never intentionally hurt him; then again Tai Lung had thought the same way. Saria sighed softly. She loved Shifu, but the last thing she wanted was to get between father and daughter, let alone the fact that Tigress scared the living wits out of her. As much as she didn't want to, she would do as Tigress said and back off. She yawned and rolled over and closed her eyes but tossed and turned before settling into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning Saria ate breakfast quietly with everyone, but jumped off her chair when Shifu tried to sit with her. She could see Tigress' glare from the corner of her eye and quickly washed her bowl before leaving the kitchen.

"What was that about?" Crane asked. Shifu frowned but said nothing.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Tigress said innocently as she continued eating. Po gave her a sideways glance before cleaning his bowl in one quick swoop. Everyone finished eating and went into the training hall to find Saria stretching with her knee to her chest. They went to work as Shifu came up behind her.

"Is everything ok?" he asked. She jumped, startled when she didn't hear him come up behind her and stumbled but he caught her around the waist to steady her. She regained her balance and quickly pulled away, trying to ignore the hurt look that passed across his face.

"I'm fine," she said with a smile and he didn't believe it, but didn't push the matter further. Every time he tried to guide her movements, she'd avoid his touch as much as possible, noticing Tigress' subtle glares. When she fell against Shifu after trying to stand on her left foot, she heard Tigress huff and come up behind her.

"Master, I need help with this kick you showed us a few days ago," she said with a smile.

"I'm assisting Saria right now, but I can…" he started.

"Go ahead Shifu, I can practice by myself," Saria interrupted him. Shifu searched her face but she turned away and continued stretching. He helped Tigress with her kick even though she already had it perfected, as we wondered about Saria's behavior. Had she suddenly changed her mind and didn't like him after all? Had it been a spur of the moment thing? He pondered it for the rest of the day as Saria avoided him like the plague. It was as though she hated touching him, like something was wrong with him. That night he didn't see her at dinner, instead she'd gone straight to bed. He wasn't sure what to do, so instead let her be.

The next day was the same as Saria avoided him, and the day after that. Several days passed with her avoiding his touch as carefully as possible and he became even more confused by her behavior. Meanwhile, Tigress was never far, always giving her subtle warnings and pulling Shifu away when Saria showed signs of letting her guard down. Shifu began to back off, giving Saria her space, but she could still see the confusion and frustration in his eyes as she avoided him and it tore her up inside.

Saria sat quietly beneath a tree one evening four days after Tigress had threatened her. Saria wanted to scream with frustration. She knew she was hurting Shifu, but what else could she do? Tigress would rip her to shreds if Saria told him what was going on, not to mention the fact that Shifu would get mad at his daughter. She sighed and put her face in her hands. What was she going to do? She was near tears when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to find Shifu and her heart sank. She quickly turned away but he didn't remove his hand.

"Saria," he said softly. "I know you don't want to be around me, even though I have no idea why." She stared at the ground and he sighed. "Is it something that I did?" Saria shook her head.

"It's not you, Shifu." She picked up a stick and pulled the bark from it. "It's…. complicated," was all she could say. Shifu could command as her master to tell him, but he wanted her trust. In order to get her to open up to him, he'd have to do something unexpected and he smiled.

"As you wish," he said. "You asked for it." She looked up at him quizzically and was thrown completely off guard when he launched himself at her and tackled her. She was knocked onto the ground and he suddenly began tickling her. As a kung fu master, he knew the body very well and his moves were precise and accurate as he sat on her to keep her from going anywhere. She squirmed as she laughed herself breathless and tried to get away from him but was unsuccessful.

"Please… Shifu..." she gasped between laughs. "Stop… Please!" He finally stopped and pulled her to her feet. Laughing, she stumbled and he wrapped his arms around her. She looked up and was inches from his face and she went to pull away but he held her tight.

"Talk to me," he whispered. It was a plea. She thought for a moment before she opened her mouth to tell him everything.

"I've been avoiding you because…" She stopped when she saw Tigress walking towards them with a murderous look on her face. Her eyes widened and Saria pulled away from Shifu as Tigress came up behind him.

"There you are!" She grinned at Saria and it reminded her of a predator grinning at its prey. "I wanted to show you that punch I told you about." Tigress gripped Saria's shoulder and she winced when she felt her claws scrape her skin. "Sorry, Shifu, we'll be back in a little while," she said over her shoulder as she led Saria off. Saria didn't have a choice or else she'd probably lose her arm. Shifu watched them go, confused, and then went into the kitchen to help with dinner. As soon as Tigress knew they were out of ear shot of everyone else, she spun around on Saria.

"We didn't do anything," Saria said quickly as she threw her hands up. "I swear it!

"I _saw_ you," Tigress snarled. "You just can't keep your little paws off of him, can you? You don't get it, Shifu doesn't love you, and he only showed you affection because he pitied you. He wants you to leave, but he's too much of a gentleman to hurt you. You're a nuisance to him and he wants you to crawl back into the hole you came out of," she lied. "So do him a favor, and leave! Tonight!" She growled the last word. Saria knew exactly what Tigress was doing, but was too afraid to call her on it. She knew Tigress was merely looking out for her dad, and could appreciate that, so she nodded.

"Very well," she said softly. "I will leave tonight." Surprise flickered across Tigress' face; she'd expected Saria to put up a fight but she wasn't going to.

"Good," Tigress said a little softer. Saria turned to go back to the Jade Palace just as the sun was going down. "Where will you go?" she asked suddenly. Saria turned back.

"To find the army that killed my family," she said before turning away. She walked into the kitchen to find everyone already eating and she quietly grabbed a bowl of dumplings. She ate as quickly as she could without being rude and avoided Shifu's gaze. Tigress came in soon after, happier than usual as she sat next to Po. She smiled throughout the whole meal and even joked a little with the others. Saria pushed her sadness away, telling herself that she was doing the right thing. Sometimes you have to do what's best for those you love, even if it hurts.

She went into her room without another word and sat on her bed and waited as she watched the sun go down. There was a knock on her door and she sighed.

"Come in," she said and was surprised to find Po when she'd been expecting Tigress or Shifu. She tried to arrange her face into a smile but was failing miserably. "Po, please, come in," she greeted. He came in without a word, which was way out of character for him, and sat next to her on the bed as it groaned in protest.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" he asked softly. Saria was stunned, how did he know? She forced herself to take a calming breath.

"Yes," she said.

"But I don't get it," he said as he threw his hands up in the air, exasperated. "You have feelings for Shifu, I know you do. And he's absolutely crazy about you, so what's the big deal?"

"Po," she said as she rubbed her forehead. "It's more complicated than…"

"It's Tigress, isn't it?" he interrupted. She looked up at him, shocked. "She's been acting meaner than usual, especially around you. When she dragged you away like that earlier I knew something was up." Saria sighed.

"Po, Tigress believes that I'm going to be like Tai Lung and break Shifu's heart," she said and Po stared at her. "I'm not about to get in between a father and daughter so it's best that I leave before all hell breaks loose."

"Why not just tell Shifu?" Po asked.

"Because Tigress hates me enough as it is," she said. "Not to mention that she'd rip me to shreds." She patted Po's hand. "It's ok, Po, Shifu will live just fine without me." She looked out the window and saw that it was dark and got up to go to the door but Po stood in front of her.

"No," he said stubbornly. "I'm not letting you go. You're the best thing that's come along for Shifu since me, and I can't let you leave like this." Saria paused, she wasn't about to fight him, and looked back at the window.

"I love Shifu, Po," she said. "But I have to do what's best." With that she turned and ran to the window before Po could stop her. She dove through it and landed in a roll on the ground. The stretching exercises had paid off and she moved with ease. She stood and looked at Po once more before turning and disappearing into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Po watched as Shifu's future vanished in the darkness and his heart sank. He had come to enjoy the little panda's company and to have her go, especially like this, was unacceptable. He turned and left the spare room and went right to Tigress' door and knocked. She opened it with a scowl which wasn't unlike her.

"What is it, Po?" She asked irritated.

"Why did you make Saria leave?" he went straight to the point. Tigress' eyes narrowed but Po didn't back down.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said and went to close the door, but Po stuck his foot in the way.

"You _do_ know what I'm talking about Tigress, Saria told me everything." He said as he walked in the room. Tigress backed off, surprised by Po's behavior.

"So what?" she said indignantly. "She wasn't right for Shifu anyways."

"You are _not_ the one to decide that!" Po shouted. "She was perfect for him and you had to go and get jealous and ruin it for both of them!"

"I wasn't jealous!" she shouted back. By now the others were awake and gathered outside the door as they watched everything unfold, afraid to step in.

"Then why did you make her leave?" Po yelled as he clenched his fists. "You couldn't stand the thought of Shifu caring for Saria, so you got rid of her!" Tigress roared and launched herself at Po, knocking him to the ground and began punching him. He blocked one of her punches and shoved her off of him. She came at him again but he used his massive stomach to hit her and she slammed against the wall. Again she came at him and they fought, knocking things over and blocking each other's attacks.

"I… am… not… jealous!" She growled each word as she attacked Po, her teeth bared in a snarl. Shifu heard the racket and ran into the barracks to find them fighting and the room destroyed. He moved so fast that he was a blur as he intercepted Tigress in mid punch, using the curved end of his staff to hit her wrist and kicked her away while knocking Po off balance and he stumbled back into the wall.

"What is the matter with you two?" he scolded. He knew their feelings for each other and to see them fight wasn't a good sign.

"Tigress bullied Saria into leaving!" Po said quickly. Shifu froze. Saria was… gone? He turned to Tigress and she gave Po a deadly glare.

"What is he talking about, Tigress?" Shifu asked, keeping his voice even. She set her chin as she looked at Shifu.

"Saria is just another Tai Lung," she said. "I didn't want her to betray you, so I told her to back off, and she did for a while. That's why she was avoiding you." Shifu's heart sank. "I saw you two today and realized that she couldn't keep her paws off of you, so I told her to leave."

Shifu was stunned. It all made sense then; he had figured that Tigress' anger towards Saria would pass, but it'd been much worse than he'd expected. Saria had avoided him to prevent discord between him and Tigress, and now she was gone.

"Master," Tigress said as she bowed. "Forgive me; I only wanted to protect you."

"Saria isn't another Tai Lung," Shifu said softly, but his voice held a dangerous tone and Tigress shuddered. She'd rather have him yell at her. "Of all the people to do such a thing, Tigress, I never expected you." His voice was so full of disappointment that it crushed her. "Did she say where she was going?" She nodded as she gazed at the floor.

"She said she was going to find the army that killed her family," Tigress said softly. Shifu turned to walk to the door. "Master," she called and he turned back. The coldness in his eyes stunned her and she almost couldn't speak. "Will you ever forgive me?" she whispered.

"I don't know, Tigress," he said as he turned and walked from the room. Po took one look at Tigress' devastated expression before following Shifu.

"Where are you going, Shifu?" Po asked.

"To find Saria and bring her home," he said as he walked into the night.

…

Without her hip giving her much trouble, Saria was able to make it down the stairs and into town with ease. She leapt to the roof of a small house and jumped across to another one, leaping from one to another until she was out on the other side. She climbed up the mountain pass, and turned to look at the Valley of Peace once more. She had an eerie sense of déjà vu as the sadness of leaving something she loved behind ached in her heart once again. The Jade Palace looked ethereal with the moonlight glistening off the green stone as wisps of fog drifted lazily around it. She turned with a heavy heart and descended into Turin Valley and melted into the forest.

Shifu knew that if Saria was going after the army, Turin Valley was the first place she was going to look. He ran through the streets and made his way to the mountain pass, people only getting glimpses of him. His athletic skill allowed him to scale the pass with ease, and stopped when he reached the top. He looked around for Saria but could see her nowhere. He closed his eyes and allowed his mind to calm and felt peace seep into his bones. He took a deep breath, taking in every smell around him, shifting through them until he found her scent of sweet wildflowers and locked onto it. He opened his eyes and descended down the pass and went into the forest after her. It had been so long since he'd traveled in the forest that it slowed him down and he almost missed the trail that she'd found. He moved along it, noticing the broken twigs and torn leaves and her small footprints in the soft dirt.

Saria had found a small trail that had grown over but was still visible to the trained eye that wound around the edge of the valley. She moved quickly through the forest without stopping to rest as branches and twigs snagged at her clothes and snapped against her fur, and tears burned in her eyes. She knew she wasn't running to something, but running from her aching heart. Try as she might to push everything from her mind, she couldn't shake Shifu from her thoughts. She loved him so much and she hoped she was doing the right thing.

Her vision blurred as the tears threatened to choke her and she shook her head as she slowed to a walk, and tried to swallow the lump in her throat but couldn't. She stumbled into a clearing with a waterfall that poured from a stream deep within the mountain into a small basin. The moon glistened off the water, giving it a surreal glow as the moon's reflection rippled in the water. There was a small rock-like platform underneath the waterfall where it hit before falling into the basin. There was also a small alcove behind it where no water touched that was high enough for her to stand under. She sat on a rock next to the waterfall and put her head in her hands, unable to stop the flow of tears.

She wanted to run back to the Jade Palace and tell Shifu everything, but how could she? She had no home, no family, nothing to go to so she would spend the rest of her days looking for the army. She thought about her family eye and felt a pang of longing. The memory of her brother playing with his little sword came to mind and she smiled. She reached into her pant's pocket and pulled out the charred piece of wood, running her thumb over her brother's name absentmindedly as she thought. She closed her eyes and could see her home before the attack, her mother's sweet smile, the smell of apple oatmeal every morning. Her life had been perfect, and she'd never thought she'd get that feeling back; until she met Shifu. She would give anything just to have the chance to tell him the truth.

Saria froze when she felt a hand touch her shoulder and realized that it felt familiar. She looked up and her heart nearly stopped when she saw it was Shifu. For a moment she considered pinching herself in case she was dreaming.

"May I sit with you?" he asked and she nodded.

"How did you find me?" she asked.

"I followed your scent," he said with a smile but it faded. "I had to find you before you could get too far." He sighed. "Po and Tigress got into a fight after you left. When I intervened, Po told me what happened." He looked at her with sadness mixed with confusion. "Why did you run instead of just telling me?" he asked softly.

"I was afraid of Tigress," she admitted. "But more than that, I didn't want to come between you and your adopted daughter."

"You wouldn't have come between us," he said. "I would have taken care of Tigress." He tentatively reached for her hand and she took it in his and he secretly sighed in relief that she didn't pull away. "I know you want to go after the army, but you're welcome to come back to the Jade Palace; that is if you want to." He said, giving her the option to walk away. She thought for a moment.

"Shifu, when I lost my family, I never thought I'd be happy again." She stroked his palm with her thumb. "But I found that happiness with you. I only left because I thought it was for the best. I never wanted to hurt you."

"If you don't want to hurt me, don't hide things from me again," he told her and she nodded. "Promise me." She looked up at him.

"I promise I'll never hide anything from you again," she said and he smiled. He stood and pulled her to her feet and hugged her, burying his face in her neck and taking in her scent of sweet wildflowers.

"You need a shower," he said, eyeing the waterfall and she laughed.

"You don't exactly smell like roses yourself, mister." She taunted. He grinned and ran at her, putting his shoulder into her stomach as he lifted her like a sack of grain.

"Put me down!" she managed to shout before he tossed her into the basin. However she grabbed his wrist and dragged him in with her. She came up sputtering and burst out laughing at the shocked look on his face. His brow drew down in a mock scowl and his ears flattened against his head.

"Oh, you think that's funny?" he said as he splashed her with water and it was her turn to glare at him.

"You just declared war," she said and brought her leg up to splash him but he grabbed her ankle.

"Not so fast," he grinned. He pulled her leg up and dunked her under water. She used her other leg to push his chest so he let go of her ankle. A massive water fight ensued as they dodged each other's splashes and laughing to the point of gasping for air. Several times she'd launch herself at him only to have him dive under and come up behind her; he simply moved too fast. She tried to launch herself at him again but hit the edge of the basin beneath the waterfall. The water reached her chest and she was about to push away from it when he came up behind her. He pulled her to him and kissed her shoulder. She leaned back and he nibbled her neck as his hands slid across her stomach.

She turned in his arms until she was facing him and he kissed her, his tongue claiming the soft heat of her mouth as he pinned her against the edge of the basin.

"I love you, Saria," he whispered into her mouth. She pulled back to look at him and put her hands on either side of his face.

"I love you too, Shifu," she said softly and pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it onto the bank. His hands cupped her full breasts as he leaned in to kiss her, his fingers teasing her nipples into peaks and she moaned softly. She put her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him as he devoured her mouth, leaving her breathless as heat pooled between her legs and she ached with need. He kissed her jaw and neck as he worked his way down her body before taking her nipple in his mouth. She moaned and she cradled his head in her arms as he suckled, nipped and pulled with his mouth while doing the same to her other nipple with his hand. She panted as streaks of fire raced through her bloodstream and arched her back to give him better access.

He wanted more than anything to show her how much she meant to him, to use her body as a canvas to paint the perfect picture of love. There was no holding back this time as he returned to her mouth and nibbled on her lower lip, making her moan; the sound reverberating through his body and shooting straight to his groin. He ached for her as he shaped her full bottom through her pants and pulled her to him. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her from the basin and to the alcove behind the waterfall. The rock was covered with a thick layer of moss on which he lay her down. He stood to undo his sash but she sat up and put her hand on his.

"Let me," she said softly and he nodded. She got up on her knees and took her time undoing the sash, increasing the anticipation to breaking point. His sash fell to the floor and she stood and slowly pushed the robe off his shoulders so that it pooled at his feet. Her fingers trailed down his chest, shaping the muscles that rippled beneath his fur as he shuddered. She kissed him slowly, luxuriously, before leaning down to kiss his chest. Her lips followed her fingers as they trailed his ribs and down his taut belly to his groin and he leaned back against the wall as she knelt before him.

She kissed each thigh, followed by her fingers as she slowly edged her way closer to his erection. She wasn't about to dive right in; she wanted to make his pleasure last as long as possible. Her eyes looked into his own as she slowly licked his broad head and a tremor ran through his body. She took the bulbous tip into her mouth and he gasped. One of her hands reached up to roll his balls as the other gripped the base of his shaft. She took as much of him as she could into her mouth until he was at the back of her throat. She created suction with her lips and slowly began to slide along his shaft as he gripped her hair to keep himself steady.

Her mouth felt better than he'd ever imagined as her eyes reflected nothing but pure love. He moaned as her tongue flicked the sensitive underside and he held her head as he began to move in her mouth. He was careful not to push too far so she wouldn't gag, but she swallowed most of him and used her hand to compensate for the rest. He felt the pressure building in his groin quicker than he'd anticipated and he was soon gasping as he thrust in her mouth. He was close to orgasm when he forced her to stop. She looked at him curiously as he fought to drag air into his lungs.

"If you keep going, I'm going to explode." He managed to say as he caught his breath. She smiled and leaned in to finish him but he stopped her. "Not yet," he said. He knelt down and kissed her, using his body to ease her onto her back. His fingers trailed over her nipples and she shuddered, but he kept moving down and he kissed her stomach right below her belly button. Her heart skipped a beat as he eased her pants down her legs until she was completely exposed to him and she used her hands to cover herself, suddenly nervous.

"Do you trust me?" he asked softly, waiting patiently for her to decide. She looked into his light blue eyes, her home, and took a deep breath before nodding. He kissed her hands before moving them aside, and slowly spread her legs. She forced herself to relax her muscles and he smiled. He kissed the inside of her thighs as his fingers trailed down her belly, causing her to ache even more. His mouth brushed her mound and she stiffened. He looked at her one more time before his tongue slid between her lips and into the satin soft heat of her core and she cried out as her back arched involuntarily. He slipped two fingers into her channel and she clamped down on him as he found her sensitive spot and began to massage it. He nibbled her lips and his tongue flicked her clit as he drank in her juices; she tasted like honey with a bit of spice and it drove him wild.

Her hips bucked and thrust and he held her down as he lapped at her, paying special attention to her clit as the pleasure in her wound tighter and tighter until she was at the edge of exploding, but he pulled back at the last second and she whimpered in protest. He moved back over her and kissed her with a fierce hunger and she could taste her juices on his tongue as his hands shaped her body before they rested on her hips. He pulled back and moved between her legs and she felt the broad head of his erection at her entrance and time seemed to stop. He began to invade one inch at a time, her velvet sheath gripping and squeezing him so tightly that his nails dug into her hip as he fought to maintain control. He reached a barrier and froze.

"You're a virgin," he whispered and she nodded. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Even now, as far as they'd gone, he'd be willing to stop if she didn't want to go further but she smiled.

"Shifu, I love you more than you'll ever know, and I can think of no one else I'd rather give my virginity to." Pure love shined in her eyes and he had to swallow the lump in his throat. He leaned down and kissed her, his teeth biting her lower lip as his hips surged forward to divert her mind. She gasped in pain, but it was quickly replaced with pleasure as he filled her. He waited for her to adjust to his size, her scorching hot sheath gripping him tightly. He took a settling breath before he began to move in her, the friction sending darts racing through his bloodstream.

She moaned as his shaft moved along multiple pleasure points, brushing her clit and causing fire to race through her body. She tilted her hips to let him go deeper and she met him with every thrust as he pulled her hips to him. He seemed to hit her womb as he moved in her, building the pressure in her core and taking her pleasure to new heights. The wet slap of fur echoed through the small alcove, only to arouse her more. She gripped his forearms and bit her lip to keep from being lost in a world of pure feeling.

He was quickly losing the battle for control as her unbelievably tight velvet sheath gripped and milked him, and his hips moved of his own accord as his pleasure built and he groaned.

"Shifu!" she cried his name as he pounded into her, her mind going blank with pleasure and she could only think about his steel shaft moving relentlessly within her. He could feel his orgasm building and fought to delay it but it didn't slow. "I don't know how much longer I can hold on," she said between moans as her body became a firestorm of aching need that needed to be quenched and she shook he head from side to side.

"Look at me," he said through gritted teeth and she did, losing herself in his piercing blue eyes that were filled with nothing but love for her. She teetered over the edge into an abyss of pleasure and her nails dug into his forearms as her orgasm crashed through her womb and spread through her body, making her clamp down on him and pushing him over the edge. He gave one last thrust and cried out his orgasm exploded through him, and he emptied himself into her depths before collapsing on top of her. They both dragged air into their lungs as they fought to breathe and he began to soften inside of her. He finally gathered the strength to roll off her; pulling her with him so that she laid her head on his chest and she planted a kiss right above his heart.

"Thank you," she whispered and he rubbed her back gently.

"No," he said. "Thank you, for your trust and your love." He kissed her forehead and laid his head back. "You wore me out," he chuckled.

What? A big mighty kung fu warrior like you?" she used her most mocking tone. "That was just round one!" She kissed him as she straddled him.

…

Saria woke from her sleep in the alcove behind the waterfall just as the sun was coming over the horizon, the light glimmering through the water and making a rainbow appear. She yawned and stretched, wincing slightly at her sore muscles. Shifu had made love to her multiple times during the night, and she couldn't seem to get enough. His arm tightened around her waist, pulling her back against him as he kissed the back of her head. She remembered they were both still naked, but she didn't mind. She rolled onto her back and looked into his smiling eyes. Reaching up with one hand, she trailed her fingers lightly down his face and to his chest. He took her hand in his and nibbled on her fingers.

"Good morning," he said before placing a kiss in her palm. She was his, no one else's, and he loved it. She had brought more joy into his life than he'd ever known and she meant more to him than he could put into words.

"Morning," she gave a sleepy half smile as he leaned down and kissed her. He poured his love for her into the kiss, taking her breath away and bringing tears to her eyes. She was breathless when he finally pulled back and gave her a smile.

"As much as I'd love to stay here," he said. "We need to get back to the palace, the others are probably worried sick." She nodded and stretched once more before standing; she was definitely sore. They quickly groomed themselves using a prickled plant Saria found to use as brush; Shifu had set their clothes out to dry overnight and the clothes were stiff but they managed to pull them on anyways. They set out for the palace which was several miles away, taking their time as they talked about various things. They weren't paying attention when they walked into a clearing and froze. Before them was a group of a dozen burly rhinos with red armor and wicked looking weapons, but Saria realized their armor was silver and the red was blood. Standing at the front of the group was a massive rhino with a razor sharp spear and Saria paled and began to tremble.

"Li," she whispered the name of the rhino before her, the rhino who had killed her family.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Whew, I blew through this chapter, I just couldn't stop typing! Enjoy!**

Saria's heart pounded so hard that it felt as though it was going to beat its way out of her chest. Her feet were frozen to the ground as terror swamped her. Shifu saw that she was scared and gripped her hand, squeezing it to let her know that he was with her. He pulled her hand as he walked back, and she followed as they tried to get back to the safety of the trees.

"I don't understand why they make us go out on these search parties," one of the rhinos complained. "We killed all the red pandas that we found."

"There's always a chance that we could have missed a couple," Li said gruffly. "Now quit complaining." He turned away from the group and spotted the two red pandas that were edging back towards the forest and grinned. "See Ruo, I told you that we may have missed a couple." The two red pandas stopped and Shifu pushed Saria behind him protectively. "Awe, isn't that cute," the rhino mocked. "He's actually going to try and fight us." Saria went to open her mouth to tell them that this was no ordinary red panda when Shifu shook his head slightly.

"Don't," he whispered, so she closed her mouth.

"We'll make you a deal, old man," Li said. "Give us the girl and we'll kill you swiftly, a man's got to have his fun," he grinned wickedly at Saria and she gulped. "If you don't, well, that just makes it even more fun." His grin slowly faded as he stared at Saria and he began to frown. "I know you," he said. "You got away back in Kia, and made me stab my buddy." He growled. Shifu realized then why she was so scared. This was the rhino that had stabbed her and killed her family. Anger for her welled up sharp and fast, and he wanted to tear the rhino to bits, but he held himself back. They needed information.

"You're part of the army?" Shifu asked, and Li scoffed.

"I'm Enlai's commanding officer." Shifu frowned. Enlai was behind this? He thought back to the story he'd told Saria that one day at the Pool of Sacred Tears. He'd thought that Enlai had been in prison after murdering Tao, his little brother's killer. But he'd either escaped or gotten out. It all made sense then, he hated all red pandas for what Tao had done and was committed to wiping them off the face of the planet. Shifu's thoughts were interrupted when the rhinos began to walk towards them, spreading out to box them in. Saria whimpered and he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

He waited until the rhinos were within a few feet of them before he attacked. He moved before they could blink and took out one rhino after another. With their thick skin and armor, Shifu couldn't simply punch and kick them until they fell. He had to go for their joints where they were weakest, hitting pressure points and causing them to fall before he moved onto the next one. He used his hands, feet, and his staff to hit them and within seconds the rhinos were on the ground, either unconscious or crying out in pain, except for Li. Shifu looked around and froze when he saw that Li had his arm around Saria's neck, pinning her against him as she dangled in the air. She squirmed and fought as she gripped his arm to keep from choking, but his hand tightened around her and she stopped moving as she fought to breathe. Li trailed the tip of his spear down her body as he grinned at Shifu and she shuddered with fear. Shifu had to divert Li's attention if he was going to get Saria out of his grasp. He looked behind Li, and his eyes widened as his jaw dropped in horror and he stumbled back a few paces. Li looked behind him to see what Shifu was staring at, but nothing was there. Shifu jumped at Li, kicking him in the jaw and wrenching Saria from his grasp and she fell to the ground with a thud. The rhino flew several feet through the air along with his spear before he landed on his back and slid to a stop. Shifu grabbed the spear in midair and tossed his staff down next to Saria before landing on Li's chest and pointed the spear at the rhino's throat.

Fear reflected in the rhino's eyes as he stared at the poison-tipped spear pointed at him and he gulped.

"Where is the army located?" Shifu asked. The rhino gathered his courage and glared at the red panda.

"I'm not telling you anything, you little rodent," he growled. "So you might as well just kill me now."

"You think I'd let you get off that easy?" Shifu said softly. He buried the spear in the joint of Li's shoulder. The rhino screamed as blood poured out of the wound and sweat began to bead on his brow. Shifu twisted the blade, making Li scream louder before he yanked it out. "I'll ask you again," he hissed. He'd never been so angry in his life, he could only think about the torture this rhino had caused not only to his people, but to Saria. He had intended to hurt Saria before killing her and it enraged Shifu. He took a calming breath. "Where is the army located?" he asked again.

"I don't know," Li panted. "We've been lost for several days now and we've been trying to find them but they seem to have disappeared." But Shifu didn't believe him. He rammed the spear into his knee and Saria had to cover her ears as Li's scream seemed to pierce the very air. "Please," he cried. "I don't know where they are!" Shifu realized he was telling the truth, and sighed. He ripped the bloody spear out and tossed it aside before turning from the crying rhino to Saria. She was gripping his staff so tight that her knuckles were white, her eyes wide as she trembled. He walked to her slowly, being careful not to scare her any further. She stared at Li and Shifu stood in front of her to block her view. He pried her fingers from his staff and set it aside before gently pulling her to him.

"It's alright," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and she sank into his arms, burying her face in his chest as her body shook with sobs. She tried to stop crying, but was unsuccessful as Shifu gently stroked her back. She had never thought she'd have to see Li again, and to be caught by him again had not only terrified her but it brought back the pain of losing her family. He soothed her gently, making shushing noises and telling her it was alright until she quieted down. "Come," he said and he took her hand as they turned to leave.

"So you're going to leave me to die?" Li shouted, but neither turned around. "You're father begged like a little girl for his life after you left," he sneered and Saria froze. "Your mother, oh yes, we had fun with her before we finally killed her." he laughed. "Every rhino there got a piece of her fine body; it's too bad you couldn't watch." White hot anger and hate burned out any remnants of fear and pain in Saria and she turned slowly to face Li. He was grinning at her even though he was bleeding and in pain. She ran at him, grabbing a knife off the ground without stopping and Li's smile widened. She bunched her muscles to leap on his chest, but Shifu grabbed her wrist and jerked her back. She turned to him, her eyes burning with rage, furious that he had stopped her but he ignored her glare.

"If you kill him, you won't be able to live with yourself," he said softly as he stroked her wrist with his thumb.

"He killed my family!" she shouted. "He deserves to die!" Tears burned in her eyes and she shook her head. "He destroyed everything I ever loved," her voice broke as tears choked her.

"He may deserve to die," Shifu said. "But not by your hand. You are better than this, I know you are. You're not a killer, and if you do this you'll scar yourself for life. And he didn't destroy everything you ever loved," he smiled. "You have me." He let go of her hand and stepped back, letting her make the choice. She gripped the knife in her hand and stared at Li, but Shifu's word's echoed in her mind. She looked at him, at the complete trust in his eyes, and her grip loosened. The knife fell to the ground and she turned from Li. Shifu put his arm around her and they walked out of the clearing as Li screamed at them. He'd tried to get Saria to kill him, to put him out of his misery, but it had failed. He could feel the poison eating at him; he knew he was going to die a slow death. He grabbed the spear that Shifu had dropped and closed his eyes before he plunged it into his heart.

…

Saria remained deep in thought for the rest of the trip back to the Jade Palace and Shifu let her be. He was so proud of her for making the right choice, even though it had been hard. Oogway had believed that when you kill someone, your soul is damaged whether you notice it or not, and Shifu believed it wholeheartedly. Enlai was a perfect example of what murder can do to someone. Saria was untainted by the act of killing, and he wanted her to remain that way. They reached the Jade Palace by late midday and began climbing the numerous steps up the mountain. Just before they reached the top, Saria put her hand on his and he turned to her.

"Thank you for stopping me," she said softly. "You were right, I would never forgive myself for taking another's life, even if it was Li." He smiled and hugged her, she melted into his embrace as she rested her head on his shoulder. He finally pulled back an ran his thumb across her cheek.

"You're a good person, Saria," he said softly. "You were blinded by anger, but I had no doubt in my mind that when you thought about it, you wouldn't have done it." He leaned down and kissed her gently, before taking her hand and walking up the last of the steps to the Jade Palace. When they reached the palace, everyone ran out to greet them, with Tigress in the back of the group and they gathered around Saria, all talking at once.

"We're glad you're back, Saria," Monkey said. "We were afraid that Shifu would go back to his old grumpy self!" Shifu scowled at him and Monkey gulped. "Well, that part of him is still around." Everyone laughed. The group parted and Tigress walked up to the couple and Shifu's ears flattened against his head. She bowed, avoiding their gazes, shame evident on her face.

"Saria, I hope you will be able to forgive me for what I did to you," she said. Saria smiled and put a hand on the tiger's shoulder.

"I understand, Tigress," she said softly, and Tigress looked up, confused. "I know you only wanted to protect Shifu and I admire that about you. I love Shifu dearly and I can promise you that I'd never do anything to harm him on purpose. I forgive you." Tigress nodded her thanks before she turned to Shifu and bowed again.

"It's going to take more than that to convince me," he said gruffly to her bowed head. "However," he continued when Saria nudged him. "I believe we can work on it." Tigress nodded before standing; it was better than nothing at all. "Come," he said, looking at the sun sinking low in the sky. "Let's get some dinner." They all sat in the kitchen as Po made some secret ingredient soup that his father had taught him and the smell made Saria's mouth water. She sat next to Shifu, and even though he disliked public displays of affection, he held her hand in his. Tigress was in a good mood much to Saria's relief, and she actually smiled as they chatted.

"So what happened while you guys were gone?" Mantis asked. Shifu explained about catching up to Saria and convincing her to come back, leaving out their fun behind the waterfall, and told about Li and the other rhinos they'd encountered.

"The army has disappeared again?" Monkey asked, and Shifu nodded.

"Somehow, Li got cut off from communication and the army moved without them and they couldn't find their way back." He shook his head. "We're going to have to wait for more information to surface before we can attack." Everyone nodded and Po served up the soup, holding several bowls on one arm and Saria had to wonder how he was able to balance them and he tossed them out on the table with ease from many years of working at his father's noodle shop. Saria took a taste and the noodles seemed to melt in her mouth. It contained various vegetables with the perfect blend of mild and medium spice, creating a hearty flavor and leaving just the tiniest bit of heat in her mouth. She cleaned her bowl and asked for seconds. The soup was so delicious that she was bummed when she was full after the second serving.

"Don't worry," Po laughed. "I'll make you some more sometime."

"I'll take you up on that offer," she smirked. Everyone washed and put away their dishes before heading to bed for the night. Shifu and Saria were the last to leave, and he stopped her when she turned to go to her room.

"Why don't you come sleep in my room," he said softly as he rubbed her arm. "My bed is plenty big enough for both of us and I can have your clothes transferred from the spare room into my closet." She thought for a moment. They had already slept together and she knew she'd never leave him, but she hoped that someday she'd be able to marry him. But that wasn't going to stop her from being with him and she nodded.

"Alright," she said and she went with him out of the kitchen and towards the Jade Palace. His room was in a hall that branched from the Sacred Hall of Warriors, one that was much bigger and more elaborate than the spare room. The walls were a jade green with light green veins painted in the color, and the bed was against the far wall with beautiful dark wood tables on either side, one holding a lantern that had been lit by the palace staff. She hadn't noticed before just how big his bed was; it had plenty of room for both of them. There were several paintings on the wall, one each of the furious five, and one with all of them together. There was also one with Shifu and Po, and one with Shifu and Oogway. She turned from Shifu and began to undress, and set her clothes on a chair against the wall when she felt Shifu slip his arms around her and she leaned back against him and closed her eyes. She smiled slightly as he kissed her neck and felt a shiver run down her spine.

"I don't know if I'll ever get enough of you," her murmured against her neck and her smile widened.

"That makes two of us," she laughed as she turned to him and her lips turned down in a mock frown. "I don't really remember that night we spent together, do you think you could refresh my memory?" she gave him a sly smile and he grinned before he kissed her.

"It went a little like this," he said as he used his body to move her towards the bed.

Saria woke the next morning with Shifu curled around her, his arm around her waist and she could feel his breath on the back of her head. She yawned and tried to ease herself from his embrace without waking him, but he gave her hand a squeeze as she sat up. She looked at him and he grinned back at her.

"I could get used to waking up next to you," he said as he sat up and looked out the window. The sky was just beginning to lighten and he hopped out of bed and put on his robe as Saria dressed and he gave her a kiss before they left towards the kitchen. The sun was just peeking over the mountains when they entered the kitchen to find that no one was up yet. They ate oatmeal with cinnamon and apples in it before Shifu went to the barracks to greet the students and Saria went into the training hall. She began doing her stretches, pleased at the fact that her hip gave her little trouble. She stretched for a while as the others ate breakfast and they eventually filed into the training hall. They went right to work as Shifu began to show her basic kicks and punches.

She worked on the things Shifu taught her throughout the day, except for when they stopped for lunch break, and she was tired when they finally went to bed for the night. However, it didn't prevent her from making love to Shifu, somehow she always found strength for that. A routine began that lasted for three weeks as she progressed with her kung fu and Saria began to settle in with everyone.

Shifu was showing her a high kick one afternoon when a bout of nausea came out of nowhere. She ran out of the training hall to a bathroom that was right next to the building and slammed the door closed. As she vomited, she wondered if the poison wasn't gone from her system after all as she felt Shifu pull her hair from her face.

"You don't need to see this," she croaked between gags, but he shook his head.

"I don't mind," he said softly. She rested her head on the side of the toilet as the nausea receded as quickly as it had come. She wiped her mouth with a towel that Shifu handed her and stood on wobbly legs. "Do you know what caused you to throw up?" he asked and she shook her head.

"I don't know," she said. "But I haven't been feeling right for a few days now." He frowned.

"Why didn't you say anything?" He demanded.

"I didn't think it was anything to worry about," she shrugged.

"What else have you been feeling?" he asked.

"Well, my back hurts sometimes, and my breasts have been a little tender, but otherwise I'm fine." Shifu frowned.

"You're going to see the doctor, now." He said and left the bathroom, expecting her to follow, and she did.

"Are you sure, Shifu?" she asked. "It can't be serious."

"We won't know until we find out," he said, but he had a faint inclination of what it might be. They went down the steps and into the village, where they went straight to the doctor's door and Shifu knocked. The old rabbit answered and gave Saria a warm smile.

"Well hello," he greeted. "I'm so glad to see you on your feet again." Saria smiled opened her mouth to speak, but Shifu spoke instead.

"Saria is not feeling well, and I was hoping you'd take a look at her," he said. The doctor frowned and looked at Saria. She seemed perfectly healthy, but he shrugged and stepped back, allowing them to enter. They walked into a small room with a couple of chairs scattered about, apparently for when patients needed to wait to see the doctor, however it was empty at the moment. The walls were a faded tan color, making them look almost white and a small rickety table sat in the middle with a few candles and various scrolls no doubt containing stories to entertain waiting patients.

"Come this way, my dear," the old rabbit gestured to a door at the other side of the room and Saria followed the rabbit and went through the door, however, when Shifu went to follow, the old doctor stopped him. "I'll see her alone, I'm sure you'll understand," the doctor said with a smile before closing the door. Shifu huffed but said nothing, instead he paced anxiously. If it was what he thought, then it would be the most… _No_, he thought as he shook his head, he would not get his hopes up. He continued to pace as he waited.

"Have a seat," the old rabbit gestured to one of two chairs in the corner, and she sat, eyeing a short table in the middle of the room. "It's for when I need to examine patients," he answered her unasked question as he sat next to her. "Now," he said. "What can I do for you today?"

"Well," Saria said. "I told Shifu it wasn't serious, but he insisted that I come here anyways. I got nauseous a little while ago out of nowhere and was sick, but the nausea vanished as quick as it came."

"I see," he said. "Have you been feeling anything else that seems off?" Saria thought for a moment.

"Well, my back has been hurting more than usual and my breasts are tender, but otherwise I'm fine." She said and the doctor nodded.

"Uh huh, so tell me," he said. "When was the last time you had your moon cycle?"

Shifu wouldn't be surprised if he wore a trail in the wood as he paced anxiously, his hands behind his back as he stared at the floor. The door opened and he turned as Saria walked out, followed by the doctor.

"Take care, my dear," the doctor gave Saria a gentle pat on the arm. "Do come see me sometime." She nodded and walked out the door, careful to keep her expression blank as Shifu followed her out.

"Well?" Shifu asked as soon as they were outside, anxious to hear what the doctor had said. Saria's back was to him as she took a deep breath to gather her courage. She'd promised Shifu that she wouldn't hide anything from him again and she reminded herself of that promise as she turned to face him. "What is it?" he demanded.

"I'm pregnant," she said softly.

**A/N: Oh no! What will Shifu think?**


	10. Chapter 10

Shifu's heart skipped a beat and began to pound. "Are you sure?" he whispered and she nodded.

"My moon cycle is three weeks late," she said as she stared at her feet. "And I'm showing all the signs." She had no idea what he was going to think, and shifted nervously as she waited. Shifu was frozen to the spot as he tried to comprehend what she was telling him. He was going to be a father? Not an adoptive father, but he was going to have a child of his own flesh and blood. He felt tears burn in his eyes, something that didn't happen often. Saria was surprised when he grabbed her in the biggest hug he'd ever given her and lifted her up as he spun her in a circle. He buried his face in her shoulder as she hugged him back, her eyes wet.

"I'm going to be a father," he said softly as he held her to him. It seemed too good to be true. He kissed her forehead as a single tear slid down his cheek. He put a hand on her stomach, right over where his child was growing. It was nothing short of a miracle in his eyes, a blessing beyond anything he could have hoped for. He kissed her right in the middle of the street, not caring who saw them. A few people stopped and stared but most of them kept moving, avoiding looking at them. "Let's go home," he said as he wrapped an arm around her.

"I thought you'd be… upset," she said softly when they were halfway up the steps to the palace.

"Why would you think that?" he asked, surprised.

"Because we're not married," She whispered as she avoided his gaze.

He put a hand on her chest to stop her and turned her so that she faced him. "Saria, it doesn't matter if we're married or not, it won't make me love you more, and it won't make our relationship more right." He gently rubbed her arm. "We can get married if you want; it would be the honorable thing to do. However, quite frankly, I don't care what people think, only what you think." He put a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him. "I love you more than anything, you know that, right?"

"Of course I do, Shifu," she said softly. "And you know how much I love you. I just thought you'd rather be married because I've always seen you as an honor bound person."

"I threw my honor to the wind when I met you," he said with a laugh. "And I don't regret it one bit." He continued when she frowned. She finally nodded and they resumed their climb to the Jade Palace.

…

"Got that one, that one, that one too," the massive rhino mumbled to himself as he crossed out various towns on a map of Turin Valley. He continued marking X's over every town he'd wiped out with his army before they all were crossed out. He smiled to himself, showing a set of yellow stained teeth. His brown eyes held no humor, only a cold dark rage. A long white scar on his face marred his leathery grey skin, running over his eye and causing it to be half closed. He ran a finger down his scar as he thought, a habit he didn't even notice anymore. It was a constant reminder of what had been done to him.

The night he went to kill Tao, when he'd put his knife to that filthy little neck, the little rodent had grabbed a knife of his own and sliced his face, but it hadn't been enough to save him. Even though he was blinded by the blood in his eyes, Enlai's knife had sliced through Tao's throat so deep that it had hit his spine. To sate his rage he'd used his knife to mutilate his body; he'd loved carving his face into pieces, the blood running until Tao and his bed were completely red. He still got shivers just thinking about it.

He'd been captured the next day and dragged like a dog to jail, for avenging his little brother. Sin Dao, his beloved baby brother; so vibrant and full of life, and that pathetic little insect had killed him. He slammed his fist down on the table, making it creak from the impact. Neither of the guards outside of his tent looked inside; it wasn't uncommon for him to destroy things from a single bad thought.

He grabbed another map that was rolled up amongst others and spread it out over the map of Turin Valley. It was a map of the Valley of Peace, the Jade Palace sitting like a blemish on it. It was the last thing that stood in his way. In order to successfully take over the other valleys, he'd have to remove the threat that the Jade Palace posed. Not only that, but he had heard while in prison that Shifu had come to live and train there. He'd rotted away in jail while Shifu had gotten away with everything he'd done. But Enlai'd been let out, and he'd gathered his forces to extract revenge on the entire race of red pandas.

"My Lord," Enlai turned to glower at the smaller rhino, causing him to gulp in fear. Enlai was taller than any other rhino, and twice as thick in size. He wore gold plate armor that was polished to a gleam rather than blood caked like his soldiers. Instead of using a spear like most rhinos preferred, he used a large two handed sword that was several feet long and although plain in its looks, was razor sharp as he sharpened it every night. It hung off his belt at his left hip and was always within reach if he wasn't wearing it.

"What is it Neru?" Enlai growled and the smaller rhino flinched at his booming voice. Enlai was always angry; there was never a time when he wasn't. Hate burned like an inferno within him, a rage that couldn't be sated, and it showed in his eyes; in everything he did.

Neru fought to keep his fear in check; fear was a sign of weakness. "One of Li's men found their way back, but the others are dead." He managed to keep his voice from quivering.

"And Li?" Enlai asked.

"Dead, my lord." The rhino said. Li was dead? Enlai roared with rage, causing everyone within several yards to cover their ears, and it could be heard throughout the entire camp. He charged Neru and grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the main wooden pole that held up his tent and it cracked. Neru's feet dangled in the air as he tried to breathe, but he knew better than to fight.

"What do you mean dead?" Enlai roared. Li had been his friend, and he would tear apart whoever had killed him. Neru struggled to speak but he couldn't breathe. Enlai let go and the rhino fell to the floor, gasping for air as Enlai turned away in rage. He pulled his long sword out and in one smooth move sliced the table with the maps in half as though it were made of butter. His sword's tip rested on the ground as he panted in rage. "Who did this?" he growled.

"It was a red panda," Neru said and Enlai's eyes narrowed. "He was good at kung fu."

"Shifu," Enlai hissed the name, spat it like a curse.

"There was another red panda with him, my lord. A female." Enlai frowned. Another red panda? Female? If she got pregnant, she'd be able to keep the red panda race alive and Enlai wasn't about to let that happen.

"Spread the word," Enlai growled as he looked at the table and the maps that had been cut in two. The picture of the Jade Palace had been cut in two when he'd sliced through the table. "We march on the Valley of Peace and annihilate the Jade Palace. Forever."

…

It was dark when everyone went to their rooms for the night. They were all excited to hear the good news, even Tigress was happy for the couple, if not a little cautious. Shifu was happier than any of them. He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he was going to have a child of his own. They went into their room and Saria put on her nightclothes as it was a little chilly and Shifu did the same. She yawned and stretched, before finally getting under the covers where it was warm.

Shifu propped himself up on his elbow and put his hand on her stomach, his fingers trailing lightly over the cloth of her night shirt and a chill of pleasure made her shiver. He leaned in and kissed her, his tongue trailing over her lips and she opened for him, and his tongue explored the heat of her mouth. She nibbled on his lower lip and he grabbed her hip and pulled her closer as her arms traced the muscles on his back. He moved over her, careful to use his arms and legs to keep his weight off of her as he kissed her neck. His hand barely slid under her shirt when there was a knock on the door. He growled and rolled off of her, jumping off the bed to light the lamp on his nightstand and went to the door, mumbling something about perfect timing as Saria laughed softly.

Shifu jerked open the door to find Zeng standing there, looking more nervous than usual. "What is it Zeng?" Shifu asked irritably. "This had better be very important."

"Master Shifu, there is an urgent message," Zeng said as he wrung his wings together, making him lose several feathers and they drifted lazily to the floor. "The rhino army has been found."

"What? Where?" Shifu demanded.

"They're in the mountain pass between here and Turin Valley," Zeng said and Shifu paled. "They're marching this way."

Saria came up behind Shifu and put her hand on his arm. "Shifu," she said softly. "What is it?"

"The army's coming," he whispered. "Wake the others," he said more loudly to Zeng. "We need to evacuate the valley immediately." Zeng nodded and flew off as Shifu and Saria quickly dressed. She put on a simple dark purple shirt and loose fitting black pants so that she could move with ease. They bolted outside and in the distance she could see rhinos beginning to pour over the pass and her heart jumped into her throat. She knew they were coming for her and Shifu, they were the last red pandas she knew of and she put her hand over her stomach protectively. She could see contraptions being hauled over the pass, and she realized that they were catapults. The Furious Five ran out of the barracks, followed by Po who stumbled along, half asleep.

"Whasgoinon?" he mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. He saw the mass of rhinos pouring into the valley and it jerked him awake. "What are we going to do, Shifu?" Po asked.

"Evacuate the valley," Shifu said. "We need to get everyone out of here before the army can destroy them." They all nodded and ran off to carry out their orders. Saria started to follow them, but Shifu held her back. "You're staying here," he said.

"But I can help," she insisted.

Shifu shook his head. "I can't risk you getting hurt." He gently laid a hand over hers on her stomach. "You _both_ mean the world to me and I'm not going to lose either of you if I can help it. The others need my help, stay here and stay safe." He kissed her forehead before running down the steps and disappearing into the village. She could see people already scattering, running from the invading army. Saria wanted to help, and Shifu wasn't about to stop her. She bolted down the steps after Shifu had vanished from sight and made her way through the streets to where the army was advancing. People were running and screaming in terror, running into Saria as though they didn't even see her. She fought to stay on her feet as she went against the flow of the crowd; she knew that if she fell, the people would crush her. Lamps were everywhere, lighting the town as though it were day. Even the back streets were crowded, people moving as quickly as possible, many trying to push their way through in panic. But there were so many people that the crowd moved slowly.

Saria jumped onto a pile of boxes and grabbed the overhang of a small house that had been evacuated and climbed to the top of the roof. She could see better with the height and there was a long line of lamps that glittered like fireflies up and out of the valley through a small pass that went around the mountain which housed the Jade Palace. The rhinos poured out of the pass and fanned out into the streets, catching and killing those who had either not made it out in time or had stayed to try and protect their homes. Nightmarish screams pierced the air and Saria covered her ears as her heart pounded in her chest. She watched in horror as the rhinos sliced through villagers, blood spraying everywhere. A chill that had nothing to do with the cold air shivered up her spine.

The Furious Five, Po, and Shifu had been helping the people get out of the valley, but now that the rhinos were in the town, they rushed to meet them. Saria could hear yells from the rhinos and battle cries from the kung fu masters as more people fled from the onslaught of the army and the crowd beneath her thinned as most of the people managed to escape. A large horn sounded in the distance and most of the rhinos retreated back over the pass, where only a few remained.

…

Enlai had heard through the ranks that the kung fu warriors had gone out to meet him, and he'd pulled back his forces to draw them out of the valley so that he could annihilate them. He waited for his enemy to come over the pass, but the seconds turned into minutes and he realized they weren't going to abandon the town.

"Catapults!" He roared. "Throw anything and everything!" the night air was filled with rhinos scrambling to carry out his orders, shouting to one another and wood creaked as they pushed the catapults to the top of the pass. They lit jugs of oil on fire and muscled massive rocks into the catapults before dousing some of them with oil.

..

Saria frowned as she saw the army retreating, but a couple dozen rhinos stayed, too caught up in their lust for blood to notice they'd been called back. An eerie silence fell over the town, and she got the feeling that something terrible was about the happen. Something caught Saria's eye and she saw a mother goose trapped under a wagon that held their belongings. She had crawled under the wagon to grab her son who had been hiding underneath it, but the axel had snapped under the pressure and pinned her to the ground. Her little son tried to push the wagon off of her as the rhinos got closer, but the wagon wouldn't budge. Saria leapt off the roof of the house, landing in a roll and raced to their aid.

"It's alright," Saria said when she reached them. "I'm going to help you push this off." She paused for a moment, and looked at the goose. "Rea," she said softly and the goose looked up.

"I know you," she said, frowning.

"You found me at the pass," Saria said and recognition flooded the goose's eyes. "Stay still," she continued. "We'll get you out of here." The old goose nodded and Saria turned to her son. "I'm going to need your help pushing this wagon off of your mother; do you think you can help me?" The little boy nodded, his eyes wide with fear for his mother as the rhinos got closer.

"Please help my mom," he whimpered. Saria put her shoulder into the wagon and pushed as Rea's son did the same and the wagon groaned, but it was too heavy. Saria could smell the blood emanating from the direction of the rhinos and bile rose in her throat but she choked it down as she pushed. She heard a loud crash and looked around as a building collapsed in a cloud of dust, and realized that the army was using their catapults. Several more rocks whistled through the air, some of them on fire along with jars of burning oil, crushing houses and setting others on fire. Chaos reined and Saria's ears rang from the loud crashes that almost drowned out the horrid screams from villagers that hadn't managed to get away.

One rock flew towards them, and Saria had to let go of the wagon as it hit Rea's house, covering her son protectively as stone and wood went flying in every direction. A massive chunk of stone fell from the house and landed on the back of the wagon, causing it to lift up and off of Rea. Saria coughed as dust and smoke permeated the air and she could taste it on her tongue mingled with the coppery smell of blood. She fought to see through the cloud around her and saw two rhinos walking towards them, looking for victims.

Saria helped the old goose to her feet as the rhinos noticed them and raised their weapons as they charged. "Run," Saria commanded to Rea and her son.

"What about you?" Rea asked. Saria looked behind her at the advancing rhinos, blood and gore decorating their bodies and weapons, and she fought down the panic that tried to stun her.

"Go, I'll distract them." She didn't wait to see what they would do as she turned and ran straight at the rhinos that had moved around and were now coming at her from either side. Saria stopped mid-stride as she looked up and saw a massive flaming rock that had been doused in oil come whistling through the air towards her, and she suddenly felt very small.

**A/N: Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place! Two rhinos on the side and a flaming rock of doom coming at her from above! How is she going to get out of this one?**


	11. Chapter 11

Saria took a deep breath and forced herself to stay still. The rhinos were coming closer and her courage was quickly dwindling. They raised their axes and brought them down, but she dodged them both as they hit the gravel road with a ring. They each lifted their axes for another swing, but she moved like a blur, kicking one then the other so that they hit each other. Looking up, she saw the rock only a few feet above them and leapt out of the way just as it hit the ground. It crushed the two rhinos and sprayed her with blood. A drop of blood slowly slid down her cheek to the corner of her mouth and she licked it with her tongue.

Something in Saria snapped, maybe it was the adrenaline from killing the two rhinos, or from tasting their blood, but madness filled her mind until it blocked out any rationality. This army had destroyed her home, her family. She looked around and saw five rhinos down the street from her and charged them. Even though she wasn't very good at kung fu, she managed to dodge their weapons and snagged a knife from a belt on one of the rhino's hip. She remembered how Shifu had gone for their joints between their armor and leapt onto the head of one rhino and stabbed his neck, severing his jugular before jumping onto the shoulder of the next rhino. She went from one to another, stabbing deep and accurately before moving to the next one. Within moments the rhinos lay at her feet, either dead or dying, the pool of blood at her feet growing by the second. Several more rhinos rushed her and she smiled.

Shifu fought off a dozen rhinos in an alley before running back into the street. Everything was chaotic as fire and debris rained down upon them from the sky, destroying everything and anything, and he knew they'd have to retreat back to the palace. The army had retreated, giving the villagers time to leave the valley, where they would be safe while the warriors took on the army. He coughed as he tried to see through the thick cloud of smoke.

Something caught his eye and he turned as he saw five rhinos drop simultaneously and caught a glimpse of a red and white blur. There was only one thing he knew of that was red and white and could move that fast. More rhinos were running to the spot where their comrades were falling, only to fall themselves. Soon there was a pile of several dozen rhinos and others began to back off and run away towards the pass. Shifu ran towards the fallen rhinos and his heart went into his throat when he saw Saria standing several feet from the pile of bodies. He'd told her to stay at the palace, what was she doing here? He came up behind her, her back to him as she gripped a red knife that steadily dripped blood as she panted. He gently touched her shoulder and she spun around, bringing the knife up in an arc, but he grabbed her wrist with ease. Her eyes were ablaze with rage, and he could see that she wasn't in her right mind. He pried the blade from her fingers as she fought him, and dropped it to the ground before grabbing her other wrist as she swung to hit him.

"Saria," he said, keeping his voice gentle. "It's just me." He held her wrists together with one hand and tried to pull her to him with the other as she thrashed, trying to get away from him. He jerked her wrists down, causing her to fall to her knees. She changed tactics, instead of trying to get away from him she launched herself at him, her teeth bared in a snarl. She didn't know that it was Shifu, she only saw an enemy who wanted her dead. He stopped her with his free hand to her chest and knocked her to the ground, careful not to let her hit her head. He used his body to pin her beneath him, holding her wrists together on her stomach and put his hand on her forehead to keep her from biting him. "Saria," he whispered her name as his thumb stroked her brow. "Come back to me." She growled and fought harder, but he held on to her as she writhed beneath him.

The others had formed a protective circle around them, preventing any rhinos from getting to them as Shifu tried to soothe Saria. He could see in her eyes that she was lost in what was called a soul rage. It was a rage so terrible that it was nearly impossible for the person to snap out of it until they were sated. It often happened to those who suffered unbearable tragedy, the sadness and grief building until they finally snapped. Anyone who stood in their way, friend or foe, would be subject to their wrath. Shifu had feared this would happen, which was one of the reasons why he'd stopped her from killing Li. He'd believed that if she got a taste of revenge that it would consume her, and he'd been right.

Several minutes passed as Shifu tried to get Saria to realize that it was him and rhinos were increasing in number as they tried to break through the ring of warriors, but he didn't give up. He ignored everything around him, focusing only on Saria as he tried to reach through to her. He kissed her cheek as he whispered to her about the picnic they'd had, about how she loved to hear his flute, and their first kiss. He talked about their night under the waterfall, and how much he loved her, and that she was pregnant with their child. "Fight for me," he whispered in her ear. "Like you promised to live for me." Her thrashing slowly eased until she finally went still beneath him. The rage retreated from Saria's eyes to be replaced by confusion as she looked up at him.

"Shifu?" she whispered and her eyes widened as she realized what she'd done. "Oh no," she moaned as she began to cry and Shifu let go of her hands as he got off her and pulled her into his lap.

"It's alright," he crooned as he rocked her gently in his arms. Sobs wracked her body as she buried her face in his chest.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured into his robe as she clutched him and he shushed her as he kissed the top of her head.

"Um, are you guys almost done? Because we've got company," Tigress hollered and Shifu looked up and saw that the catapults were parting to make a path and the army was pouring over the pass once more.

"Retreat back to the palace," Shifu said as he picked Saria up. The others nodded and cleared a path through the rhinos as they fought their way back to the palace.

"Shifu," Saria said softly through her tears. "I can walk."

He shook his head. "You cannot follow a simple order, let alone walk," he said. "You put your life in danger as well as the life of our child." He scowled down at her. "I told you to stay at the palace, not because I wanted to punish you, but because I love you." He looked back to where he was going. The truth was that he had to hold her, to assure himself that she was alright.

"But, Shifu," Saria said. "I wasn't hurt."

"Saria, you fell into madness, I had to fight to bring you back," he reminded her and she looked at her hands in her lap in shame. "At this rate, I'm not going to be able to allow you to stray from my side for five minutes."

"You could always lock me into a tower," she said playfully.

"Don't tempt me," he growled, but his tone had lightened. He was just glad that she was ok.

"I'm sorry that I scared you, Shifu," Saria said softly. "I had no idea I'd snap like that."

"It's ok," he said as he held her closer to his chest. "I know you wanted to help." They spotted a pig running from a rhino and Po ran into the rhino, hitting him with his stomach and sending him flying into a building. The pig joined their group, along with about two dozen other villagers they came across in one sticky situation or another on their way to the palace. The villagers had various homemade weapons; one goose had a rolling pin that he'd hammered nails into, creating a spiked club, while a pig had sharpened his shovel to a razor edge. They stayed in the circle of warriors as chaos reigned about them. A rock flew towards them and Tigress leapt into the air and kicked it, shattering it into pieces before returning to the front of the group as pebbles rained down on them. They could still hear screams in the distance, but they couldn't pinpoint their locations in the midst of the explosions from catapults that were still launching rocks and jars of flaming oil. There were fires everywhere and they moved through the smoke and debris as quickly as possible, trying not to breathe in the toxic fumes.

They finally reached the base of the mountain and began climbing the steps to the Jade Palace. Even though he was carrying Saria, Shifu had no problem running up the steps. She was getting irritated that he insisted on carrying her, but said nothing. By the time they reached the palace, the villagers were huffing and panting, some even collapsing onto the ground in exhaustion. Shifu finally set Saria on her feet, but put his arm around her waist when she tried to move away from him.

"Shifu," she said quietly so the others couldn't hear her. "You can let me go now." She rubbed his arm. "I won't leave the palace again, I promise."

He sighed and pulled her to him. She relaxed into his arms and let him hold her as she rubbed his back. "Don't scare me like that again," he whispered into her neck. He'd been afraid of losing her and it had shaken him to his core.

"I won't," she promised, but she wasn't sure if she would be able to keep it.

…

My lord," Naru bowed as he stopped before Enlai. He'd moved to the back of the army, directing the assault on the village and was sitting on a small rock looking at battle plans on a much larger rock. He absently trailed a finger down his scar when he looked up.

"What is it, Neru?" Enlai grumbled.

"The army has successfully invaded the valley and driven the kung fu warriors back to the palace," Neru reported.

"Good," Enlai grunted as he looked back to his map. He'd expected nothing less from his soldiers.

"However," Neru continued. "An entire platoon was wiped out by a single red panda."

"What?" Enlai looked up, outraged and Neru actually took a step back. "Those incompetent fools!" he roared. He stood and picked up the rock he'd been sitting on and launched it. It hit a soldier in the side of his head, cracking his skull and he fell to the ground, dead. "Enough of this foolishness," he growled. "Get three of my most elite soldiers together and tell the army to halt the assault until I get to the front. I'll handle this myself." He looked at the pass and realized it was going to take him a good day to get through the army and up to the Jade Palace.

Neru bowed and left as Enlai turned to the soldier he'd killed. Several rhinos were picking up his body to take and bury him. "Leave him for the buzzards," Enlai growled and the soldiers quickly dropped the body and backed away from their leader in fear. Neru returned within a few minutes, leading three of the meanest looking soldiers in the army. "Let's get going," he growled to the three soldiers and they nodded, following behind him as he made his way to the pass.

**A/N: Anyone else get the feeling that jaws music would go great with this last scene?**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Finally, an update! This chapter was a little more tricky because I had to jump scenes more than I usually do, but I think I pulled it off! **

Shifu frowned as he watched the army moving around at the base of the mountain. They had begun to climb the steps, but a horn had sounded two blasts and they'd retreated back to the bottom where they began pillaging the ruins of the town.

Saria, who remained at Shifu's side at his request, took his hand. "What is it, Shifu?" she asked softly as she rubbed his arm with her other hand.

"The army isn't attacking," he said as he absently put an arm around her shoulders. "Why would they be called back now?"

Saria shook her head. "I don't know, but we can prepare for them in the meantime." He nodded and gave her shoulder a squeeze before turning to the group of villagers behind them. Some were still trying to catch their breath, while others were comforting one another.

"I don't know why the army has stopped its assault, but we're not going to wait to find out," Shifu told the villagers. "There is a pile of wood behind the Hall of Sacred Warriors next to a storage shed that was left over when the hall was repaired after I fought Tai Lung. We can use those to barricade the main door to hold them off when they do come. There should be tools in the shed." The villagers all voiced their acknowledgment and went to gather the wood and supplies. He then addressed the Furious Five. "Because it's dark, this is an opportune time to search for Enlai. Remember that if you take him out, the army will scatter. Gather information on what he looks like and where he's located. Stay together, and whatever you do, don't be seen." They all nodded. "Good luck and don't get hurt." They bowed and vaulted over the wall to climb down the mountain.

"What about me, Shifu?" Po asked.

"You will not be going with them," Shifu told him. "You are not exactly… subtle. So I'm going to have you help with barricading the wall, as well as cooking meals for us because you're such a good cook." Po beamed at the complement and went to aid the villagers with the lumber. Saria went to follow Po but Shifu grabbed her hand. "I'm not about to let you do any heavy lifting. You need to rest."

Saria scowled at him as her ears flattened. "You honestly expect me to nap while everyone does the work?" the villagers had returned to the gate, some carrying wood, others carrying tools. Po had a large stack of lumber in his arms, his eyes the only things that were peeking over the top.

"That's exactly what I expect," Shifu said calmly.

"Well, that's not going to happen," she turned away from Shifu but he pulled her hand.

"Do not walk away from me," he said firmly.

"Shifu, I'm not something you can just lock away," she said, irritably. "I refuse to simply sit by while others do all the work."

Shifu pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Saria, you've given me enough cause to lock you away in a safe place forever, please don't fight me on this."

Everyone else had stopped and were watching the couple fight, and Po was grinning.

"Wow! Your first fight! And I get to see it!" He bounced from foot to foot in excitement. Shifu shot a deadly glare at Po and his eyes widened; he quickly turned and busied himself with nailing boards across the gate. The others caught the hint and went right to work.

"Come," he said to Saria, putting a hand on her lower back and guided her towards the Hall of Sacred Warriors. She pursed her lips, but said nothing as he steered her to their room. He closed the door behind him when they were inside and she turned from him, her fists clenched. "Saria," he said softly. "I can understand why you're upset…"

"No you don't!" She spun around to face him. "You're making me sit on the sidelines while those I love risk themselves to protect me! You have no idea what it's like to not be able to help, to sit by when there are things that I can do!" She turned away, fighting the lump forming in her throat.

"Look at me," he said softy but she shook her head. He took her arm and turned her to face him. She looked at the floor, refusing to meet his calm gaze and he put a finger under her chin. "Look at me," he said again. She finally sighed and looked up at him, tears swimming in her eyes. "Do you remember when we first met?" he asked.

She blinked, confused by the sudden change of subject. "No, I was unconscious."

He chuckled softly. "That is true." He reached up and brushed his fingers across the scar right behind her left ear where she'd hit her head on a rock when she'd tumbled down the pass. "When I first saw you," he said softly. "You were near death. And even though I didn't know you, I felt a need to protect you. Since I've gotten to know and love you that need to protect you has only intensified." His fingers trailed down her cheek. "I never realized just how lonely I was before I met you. Yes, I had the Furious Five and eventually Po, but none of them touched me the way you did. You woke something in me I never knew existed, even with Tai Lung. All the years of loneliness I've had to endure, all the pain and loss, you make it all worth it. I can't even bear the thought of losing you."

Shifu pulled her to him. "You are so reckless that I just want to put you in an impenetrable bubble forever, but I know that I can't. You mean more to me than I can put into words, and I can't put you at risk. So please, will you rest so that I know you're safe and I can concentrate on the army that's at our door?"

"That's not fair," she murmured into his shoulder.

"What's not fair?" he asked.

"You're too persuasive for your own good," she grumbled.

He laughed as he kissed her forehead. "So does that mean you'll stay here and rest?"

She huffed. "I'll stay here, as for resting, I doubt I'll get any of that."

"Maybe I can help," he offered. He pulled her by the hand to the bed and pulled the blankets back. She lay down as he sat next to her and put his fingers to each of her temples and began to rub slowly in circles. Her eyelids drooped and finally closed as she slowly fell asleep. When Shifu was sure that she wasn't going to wake up, he pulled the blanket up over her and tucked it in around her. He kissed her on the cheek and left the room, closing the door softly behind him. He went back to join the others, relieved that he wouldn't have to worry about Saria's safety.

Shifu was pleased to see that the villagers had done a good job of boarding up the gate, and there were leftover boards. "Take those extra boards and use them to prop against the gate," he instructed. "You can wedge them into the cracks of the tiles on the ground." The courtyard was covered in large square cement tiles, many of them weighing several hundred pounds. Over the centuries spaces had developed between the cracks, giving the villagers ample space to wedge the boards and secure the gate. "Good," he nodded in approval when the villagers were finished. "Now, do any of you know anything about self defense?"

…

The Furious Five had climbed down the mountain using a secret pass and made it into the town, where they hid in the darkness of an alley. There were fires everywhere as well as rhinos, some of them scavenging buildings that weren't on fire. They heard footsteps and instantly retreated further into the shadows as three rhinos entered one of the buildings next to them.

"We need to find out what Enlai looks like so that we can take him down," Tigress whispered and the others nodded. Monkey jumped onto a wall and pushed off towards the other wall, jumping from wall to wall until he reached the roof of the building the rhinos were in. Tigress simply bunched her muscles and leapt, scaling the wall and landing softly on the roof as Monkey rolled his eyes. Crane picked up Viper with his feet as Mantis jumped on his back and flew up to the top and dropped his two comrades onto the roof before landing himself. There was a hole in the middle of the roof where a rock had fallen through and they peered into the house.

The rhinos were going through belongings; one had found a small stuffed bear while rummaging through a kid's room and tossed it behind him. Monkey reached down and caught it and smiled as he turned it over in his hands. It was made of a brown cloth that was soft to the touch and had been stitched and filled with rice grains. Little blue buttons had been sewn onto the face for ears and a nose, and black thread had been sewn below that to make a smile. Short pieces of brown string had been sewn into the top of the head between the makeshift ears to hang down like hair.

"What are you doing?" Tigress hissed.

"I thought that Saria's baby might like it," Monkey whispered and Tigress sighed.

"Give it here," she held her paw out and Monkey gave it to her reluctantly. She looked at it for a moment before stuffing it into her pocket and Monkey grinned. "Don't say a word," she warned, but Monkey just continued to smile. Tigress jumped through the hole, landing silently on the balls of her feet as the others followed. Mantis however made a slight chirp when he landed and the rhino spun around. Tigress grabbed him by the back of the head with one hand and under the chin with the other to keep him from shouting and twisted his neck. She carefully laid him on the ground to avoid making any noise and went out the door and down the hall.

They checked the other rooms but the one rhino had been the only one upstairs. Because Mantis was the smallest, he snuck down the steps to check and gave the signal that the other two rhinos were in the kitchen. The warriors snuck down the stairs and hid on either side of the doorway to the kitchen. The rhinos were rummaging through the cupboards, making plenty of noise to mask any sounds the Furious Five made. Tigress pointed at Crane and Viper, then pointed at the rhino on the left drew a line across her throat and they nodded. She held up a finger, and silently counted to three, and they burst through the doorway. Crane and Viper killed the first rhino easily while Tigress leapt onto the other rhino, knocking him to the ground. She put one hand over his mouth and the other around his windpipe, her claws brushing the sensitive skin of his throat. The rhino swallowed nervously as one of her claws punctured the skin and blood trickled slowly down his throat.

"We have a few questions we'd like to ask, if you're not too busy," she growled and the rhino nodded, his eyes wide. She took her hand from his mouth.

"Please," he whimpered. "I'll tell you anything." The smell of ammonia hit everyone's noses as the rhino soiled himself.

"Your leader, Enlai," She said. "What does he look like?"

"He's bigger than any other rhino," he said. "He wears shiny gold plate armor and has a long scar running from his forehead down over his eye that ends near the corner of his mouth. He also wears a very long sword."

"It shouldn't be too hard to point him out," Monkey said and Tigress agreed.

"Why did the army stop the assault?" Tigress asked.

"Enlai gave orders for the army to hold until he can get to the front, he wants to handle this himself because he'd heard that Shifu had taken out one of his platoons."

Tigress frowned, confused. "But it was Saria who took out the platoon."

"But the witnesses only saw a red panda," Viper pointed out.

"That's true," Crane said. "They wouldn't have been able to tell if the red panda was male or female."

"Thanks for the information," Tigress said to the rhino. "But we can't let you give us away." Tigress snapped his neck and stood. "If Enlai is coming towards us, there's no need to go looking for him if he's going to come straight to us." The others nodded. "Let's get back to the palace."

…

The sun was just coming over the horizon as Enlai was making his way through the middle of the city with his two elite soldiers behind him. The rhinos parted before him, many trembling in fear. His golden armor gleamed in the morning sun, lighting him up like a beacon.

"My lord!" A rhino parted into the clearing and knelt before Enlai. "A secret path has been discovered that leads right up to the palace."

"Good, we three will take that path right up to the palace and ambush them from behind while the rest of the army distracts them from the front." He nodded to himself. "Lead the way soldier," he instructed. The soldier turned and began to lead Enlai towards the pass.

"Is it safe?" one of his elite soldiers asked when they'd reached the pass and Enlai spun around, grabbing the rhino by the throat and crushed his windpipe before dropping him to the ground. He thrashed on the ground as he clawed his throat, trying in vain to breathe.

"Weakling," Enlai sneered and turned away.

"My lord?" his other elite soldier spoke up. Enlai stopped and glared at the rhino. He swallowed nervously before he spoke. "Perhaps you should change your armor?"

"What are you talking about?" Enlai demanded.

"Well, my lord, it's just that your armor makes you stand out." Enlai looked down and the sun shining off the gold plating nearly blinded him.

"You're right," Enlai said, eyeing the rhino's bloodstained gear. "Give me yours."

"My lord?" the rhino asked, confused.

Enlai had started to remove his gold plate. "Give me your armor," he growled. "The Jade Palace expects me to be there, I can do none other than oblige them."

…

Furious Five returned to the palace by way of the secret path up the mountain and Shifu had been training the villagers in basic defense. They were progressing well, but they were nowhere near capable of holding off an entire army.

"I'm glad you're back," Shifu said when the Furious Five reached the courtyard.

"Master Shifu, the army stopped attacking because Enlai is on his way to the front to attack us himself. We learned that he wears gold plate armor, so he should be pretty easy to spot." Tigress reported.

"I agree," Shifu said. "Good work everyone. I've been working with these villagers and with a little more time I think we may have a chance." He gestured towards the villagers who were practicing various kung fu poses.

"Um, Shifu," Po said and Shifu turned to him. Po had his face up against the gate and was peeking through a hole. "I don't think we have more time." Shifu opened his mouth to ask what Po meant, but then he heard the thundering roar of hundreds of rhinos stampeding up the stairs to the palace and he knew what Po was talking about. The army was attacking.

…

Saria pushed through the layers of sleep and opened her eyes. The light from the window blinded her and she put an arm over her eyes. She had been far more tired than she'd thought as she forced her sluggish limbs to move. She sat up and put her feet on the floor and tried to rub the sleep from her eyes.

Shifu burst through the door and was at her side instantly, pulling her to her feet. "The army is attacking," he said quickly. "We need to get you to the Sacred Hall of Warriors, you'll be safe there." He put an arm around her waist and put one of her arms around his neck and helped her into the hall to the large wooden doors. The Furious Five and Po stood in the courtyard facing the gate, the sun bathing them in rich light and making them look like noble heroes. It seemed as though the sun was shining just for them. Shifu let go of her and took her face in his hands. "Lock this behind me," Shifu instructed.

"But, Shifu," she protested but he put a finger to her lips.

"No buts," he said softly. "If for some reason I don't survive this, know that I love you more than anything." He kissed her, pouring all of his love for her into the kiss before kneeling down and kissing her stomach. "Stay safe for me," he said before pulling the doors closed. Saria sighed and slid the large board across the double doors.

The rhinos were hammering at the gate, making it groan with every hit. The villagers were leaning against it, trying to make it hold. Shifu and the Furious Five stood in battle stances, waiting for the army to break through the gate. The wood splintered and gave way and several villagers went flying as the army poured through the hole that had been created. Shifu dodged a sword coming at him, disarmed the rhino and used his sword to hit his helmet and knocking him into another rhino. He sliced the back of the calf of one, making him fall to his knees and Shifu buried the sword his side. He fought off several more rhinos while villagers fought and died, their screams ringing in Shifu's ears. He deftly avoided pools of blood and bodies of rhinos when a rhino with gleaming golden armor burst through the gate.

"Focus on him!" Shifu shouted as he pointed at the golden rhino. Everyone charged him as he swung a massive two handed battle axe in a large arc. They all dodged it and Tigress jumped over him, her foot hitting the back of his neck. He stumbled forward and Shifu grabbed a knife on the ground and sliced through his neck with lightning speed. The rhino fell and Shifu landed on his back. Instead of scattering like Shifu expected the army continued in its relentless attack. Alarmed, the kung fu warriors continued to fight the onslaught of rhinos. Why weren't they scattering?

Saria paced back and forth next to the pool with worry, her stomach in knots. Several times she had to wipe her sweating hands on her pants as she paced. The seconds had turned into minutes as the battle progressed, she could hear screams and crashes, hoping and praying that the screaming wasn't coming from one of her friends. So much had happened since that fateful day when her life changed forever. She'd never thought she'd meet let alone fall in love with Shifu, yet here she was, and she was pregnant. She ran her hand over her flat stomach, trying to picture what it was going to be like to have her baby grow inside her.

"Please," she said softly. "Please let everyone make it out alive. I don't want any more bloodshed."

"That's not going to happen, Sweetcakes," a booming voice echoed through the hall and Saria froze. She slowly turned around and nearly wet herself when she saw a massive rhino wearing bloody silver plate armor with spatters of blood on it. He had a jagged scar running down his face and over one eye.


	13. Chapter 13

Saria had never been more terrified in her life. She'd faced rhinos before, but Shifu had been with her. Now she was on her own and this rhino was bigger than any she'd ever seen. Thick ropy muscles rippled beneath the leathery grey skin when he moved and he carried himself with an aura of command. The jagged white scar running down his face only added to the danger emanating from him. But it was his eyes that scared her the most. They were filled with a rage so fierce that it made Saria's moment of rage seem like a minor temper tantrum. She could scream for Shifu but he probably wouldn't hear her, let alone the fact that the door was locked. She was going to have to handle this herself, and she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Who are you and how did you get here?" She tried to make herself sound calm but her voice wavered. He grinned, showing a full set of stained brown teeth.

"Why, don't you know me? I'm Enlai, I made all of this happen," He spread his arms wide. "I found a secret pass that lead me right up the mountain. I thought it'd be a lot tougher to get to you, but here you are." He looked around, surprised. "And no Shifu to protect you? What a shame. That'll make things so much easier." He cracked his knuckles and drew his sword, the ringing sound echoing through the hall.

"Why are you doing this?" Saria asked him as she backed up a few steps, trying to buy herself time to come up with a plan. She wasn't going to be able to take him head on, he was too big, and she was going to have to find another way to fight him. His brow turned down and the rage in his eyes intensified, making them glow.

"One of your filthy kind killed my brother Sin Dao!" He roared and the pillars seemed to shake. "My little brother was murdered in cold blood for trying to defend a little rhino girl from getting raped!" His hands were clenched into fists as he shook with rage. His anger was uncontrollable as roared and swung his sword; it sliced into a pillar with a loud ring, making Saria cover her ears, but didn't go all the way through. He pulled the sword out and kicked the pillar, making it crumble and crash to the floor, dust filling the hall and making Saria cough. Enlai's silhouette loomed closer and Saria's heart went into her throat. "And now," he said a little more calmly. "I'm going to finish off the last female red panda." He moved towards her, each step echoing through the hall as she backed up further. Her back hit a pillar, a stone vine digging into her back as she cowered in fear.

Shifu froze and listened. The Furious Five saw that he was distracted and protected him from oncoming rhinos. Did he just hear a roar and large crash coming from the hall? He looked towards the hall and saw a small cloud of dust billow from under the door and his heart sank as he realized Saria was in danger. "Saria!" he cried her name and kicked at the door, but it wouldn't budge. He tried and tried again, but the wood held. He had put her there to keep her safe, and now she was in more danger than any of them were.

Saria pushed down the panic and took a deep breath, finding the deep calm within herself that Shifu had taught her about. Enlai had a temper, a nasty one at that; perhaps she could use that to her advantage. She climbed the pillar using the stone vines that wound around the pillars to hold on to. She looked down and Enlai was glaring at her, sword in hand. He swung his sword at her but she was too high up and he roared with rage. He frowned in thought before a wicked smile spread across his face. He took his sword and stabbed it into the pillar, sending spider web cracks up the stone. Saria clung to the pillar as it rocked, her heart in her throat as she tried to think. Then she got an idea. She shimmied around to the other side of the pillar so that it was between her and Enlai, and closed her eyes as she tried to find courage.

Saria let go of the stone vine she was holding on to and dropped several feet. She kicked the pillar with all her strength and it groaned as it cracked and toppled over right onto Enlai, sending a plume of dust into the air. He grunted as the massive stone crushed him, pinning him to the floor. He fought to push the stone off him but it was too heavy and it was on his back where he couldn't reach. He was suffocating but there was nothing he could do, and he went still as he tried to breathe under the enormous weight that was crushing him.

Saria coughed as the dust cleared and could hear the door cracking as Shifu hammered on it. She crept slowly towards Enlai and nudged his hand with her foot but he didn't move and she sighed in relief. However, Enlai wasn't dead and his rage burned anew, giving him enough strength to swing his arm at Saria, his hand aimed at her stomach. She ducked instinctively but the back of his hand hit her chest and he smiled when he felt the satisfying crunch of bones. _ I killed her,_ he thought as he died. _I killed… the last… female panda._ His breath left his body and he didn't breathe again.

Saria flew through the air and hit a pillar with a thud and slid to the ground as the stone cracked. A chunk of stone with a vine on it broke off the pillar and fell on Saria's lower back with a loud crack. She gasped and cried out when pain stabbed her chest like daggers. She panted through the pain with short breaths as pressure built in her chest. She tried to move her legs, but they wouldn't obey and she frowned. She wiggled her fingers, but she couldn't feel her toes, in fact, everything below her waist seemed to have gone numb and she couldn't feel anything. Her chest hurt so much and she coughed, tasting blood in her mouth as specs of blood dotted the green marble floor. She closed her eyes as she focused on breathing through the pain.

The others saw what Shifu was trying to do and threw their weight behind him, making the board across the door crack and break. Shifu was the first though the door, and stopped in disbelief when he saw the destruction. He saw Enlai dead beneath a pile of rubble, and the army did too. The rhinos in the front backed off and ran into the ranks, shouting that their leader was dead. Word spread within minutes and the army scattered, most going over the pass, while others dispersed into the Valley of Peace.

Shifu called to Saria, but she didn't answer. He ran around the stones littering the floor, his stomach filled with dread as he searched, the others searching as well before he spotted her lying beneath a massive stone. He rushed to her and pushed the stone off her, seeing immediately that her back was bent at an odd angle. "Saria," he felt tears in his eyes as he brushed some of her hair off her face. He had failed to protect her. She opened her eyes and looked at him, her eyes filled with pain, but she smiled.

"Shifu," she whispered his name, a thread of sound, but he heard her. Her hand weakly sought his and he took it, stroking his thumb across the soft fur on her palm. He carefully rolled her over and lifted her head, putting it in his lap, stroking her hair as she fought to breathe.

"Crane, find the old doctor and fly him here, immediately," Shifu kept his voice calm, but he feared the worse. Crane turned and flew out of the hall towards the camp where the villagers were.

Saria gripped Shifu's hand weakly as he stroked her hair, her chest rattling with every breath. "It hurts," she whispered and Shifu felt a tear slide down his cheek.

"Hold on for me," he said softly, his voice breaking. "The doctor is going to fix you up like new." But she only closed her eyes. "Keep looking at me," he commanded and she opened her eyes as more tears slid down his face. She reached up with her other hand and brushed the tears away and he smiled weakly. "The doctor can fix you, I know he can." He rocked back and forth, whispering encouragement to her while they waited, but his heart was shattering. He couldn't lose her, not now. She meant everything to him, if she… He couldn't even think the word. He would lose not only her, but their unborn child. He had been alone for so long, and she had brought light into his world; he couldn't go back to being alone again. He prayed to any gods who would listen to save her.

He heard flapping and turned to see Crane carrying the old rabbit, his bag of medical supplies in his paw. Crane set the doctor down, who shuffled over to Saria, his eyes giving her a once over evaluation. Blood was trickling down the side of her mouth as she panted, bubbles of blood frothing on her lips and he could see that her back was bent more than it should be.

"Well, my dear, this wasn't exactly how I planned on our next visit," he said with a smile, but his eyes held sadness.

"You didn't specify the terms of our next meeting," she said with a smirk. Even though she was in pain, she could still joke.

"Lie still," the doctor said softly as he put his hands lightly on her chest and he closed his eyes. He used his chi to send a pulse through her body, giving him a detailed image of the damage. He sighed as he opened his eyes, and he looked every one of his years as his eyes met Shifu's. "Her back is broken, as well as seven broken ribs, three on her right and four on her left," he said. "Both of her lungs have been punctured by the broken bones and her lungs are filling with blood."

"But you can heal her… can't you?" Shifu asked, but the doctor shook his head as he looked at Saria.

"I'm sorry, my dear," he said softly, tears in his eyes. "Your lungs are filling with blood too quickly; there's nothing I can do."

"I'm going to die?" Saria asked as she gripped Shifu's hand.

The old doctor nodded sadly. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

**A/N: Let the hate mail begin! Seriously though, stay with me, the story isn't over yet!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: For those of you who haven't stabbed your monitor or thrown your computer out the window in anger over the last chapter, I salute you! Thanks for sticking it out with me! Anywho, here's the next chapter, enjoy!**

So this was it, Saria was going to die. She had never expected it to end like this; she had believed that she would spend many years with Shifu but that wasn't going to happen now. She winced as another sharp pain sliced through her chest, making her cough. Blood filled her mouth and she swallowed it while trying not to gag as more dripped down her chin. The doctor handed Shifu a piece of cloth and he used it to clean the blood from around her mouth.

Shifu had never felt so helpless in his life. His beloved was dying and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The gods were cruel; he couldn't think of a more tormenting punishment a person could endure. He knew he had done wrong in his life, but he never thought he'd deserved this. This was nothing compared to losing Tai Lung; his heart literally seemed to ache and the lump in his throat burned as tears slid down his face. It seemed like some sick joke that his heart would continue to beat long after hers went still forever.

Saria didn't want to die, but she felt a sort of acceptance for it. She wouldn't hurt anymore, but she'd have to leave Shifu and she didn't want to do that. She didn't want to die here either. She forced her lungs to work, and took a deep breath despite the mounting pain. "Shifu, could you take me to the Pool of Sacred Tears?" she asked softly.

"Of course I can," Shifu said through his tears, he even managed a smile for her.

"It's just so beautiful and peaceful," she whispered. "I want to be there when I…" Shifu didn't let her finish the sentence; he put a finger to her lips. He wouldn't let her say it, because if she said it, it would be true. He stood and lay her head gently on the ground before scooping her up in his arms as carefully as he could and winced when her back bowed without resistance. She put her arms weakly around his neck and he sped out of the Hall of Sacred Warriors and up the mountain, leaving the others behind. He had never run so fast, and his legs were soon burning from the exertion but he pushed on anyways.

Saria was slipping from him quickly, each breath a struggle as the rattling in her chest increased in volume. She floated between consciousness and the darkness that beckoned her and she closed her eyes wearily. It would be so easy to just let go, to be carried by the pain to a place where it couldn't touch her. She had killed Enlai, so she could rest peacefully knowing that he would never harm another soul. She began to drift as her arms slipped slightly from around his neck. Shifu looked down, alarmed, and saw Saria beginning to slip into unconscious and his heart leapt into his throat.

"Saria," Shifu shook her. "Keep your eyes open, keep looking at me." She opened her eyes with great effort, trying to focus but they rolled around, seeing nothing and her arms were slipping from his neck; they felt like leaden weights and her body was getting weaker by the second. "Stay with me, Saria," he said. "We're almost there." He had to get her there before she left him, he would grant her this final wish if it was the last thing he ever did. The Pool of Sacred Tears came into sight and he breathed a sigh of relief. "We're here, Saria," he whispered but she didn't seem to hear him.

He took her by the water and set her down and her hand slipped and fell into the pool. She hardly noticed the coolness on her fingers, she was so far gone.

"I love you Shifu," Saria whispered and she closed her eyes as the breath left her body, but her chest didn't rise again as her heart stuttered and went still. She opened her eyes and sat up, but something was wrong. She didn't feel any pain, in fact, she felt healthy. She stood and stretched, wiggling her toes as she took a deep breath of air without resistance.

"Shifu, I'm ok, I'm healthy again!" She grinned with relief but she could still hear Shifu crying. "Shifu?" She turned around and staggered back, shocked. She looked at her own lifeless body that was still cradled in Shifu's arms. He checked her pulse but felt nothing, and put his hand over her mouth and nose to check for breath, but nothing touched his hand. He cried out in anguish and denial as he rocked back and forth. He held her body to him, saying her name as he cried his heart out. She couldn't be dead, she just couldn't be. He didn't want to believe it, but there was no disputing the lack of heartbeat and breathing. His very soul screamed with the agony of his grief and no amount of tears was going to soothe him. He couldn't live without her, not after she'd brightened his live so much. He wanted to follow her into the afterlife, and he would. His students could live without him; he had no doubt of that.

"Shifu," Saria said softly. "I'm right here." But he didn't hear her. She waved her hand in front of his face, and realized that she could see through her hand. "Shifu, can't you see me?" she asked and tried to touch his shoulder but her hand went right through him. "Shifu!" She cried his name. "I'm right here!" She tried to get his attention but he didn't notice her. "Why are you ignoring me?"

She tried to think of an idea to get him to see her and a peach blossom drifted lazily in front of her face before floating to the grown and she frowned. There were no peach trees nearby.

"He can't see you, little one." A voice said behind her and Saria spun around. Before her stood an ancient translucent turtle, with ageless eyes that held compassion and understanding and his aura radiated peace and joy. He wore a dark yellow silk shawl that draped over one shoulder with an intricate gold dragon on the back. Despite the incredible age in which he'd died, he was as strong and nimble as he was when he had been young. Peach blossom leaves beyond count swirled around him in a graceful dance and Saria knew that this had to be Oogway, Shifu's master. "The living cannot see the dead." He said gently, indicating Shifu.

"Please, I don't want to leave him," she pleaded as she looked back at Shifu and sadness swamped her. She loved him so much, and to leave him like this would tear her apart.

"You don't have to leave him," the ancient turtle said.

Saria frowned, had she heard him correctly? "What?" She asked, confused.

"The gods sent me to you because it's not yet your time." He said. "You have the potential to become an incredible warrior for good and both you and your unborn child have an important role to play, a role that cannot be overlooked. Therefore, you can be returned to your body." Saria was relieved beyond words. She was going to live and her baby was going to as well! A grin spread unbidden across her face as she put her hand on her stomach. "However," Oogway said and Saria's grin faltered. She should have known there would be terms. "In order to return you to your body, the gods require that you must give something up. I do not know what it is; you will only be able to find out once you are returned to your body."

Saria thought for a moment. Would she never walk again? Or perhaps she would be deaf. She could lose someone or something; the possibilities were endless. "It won't be easy, will it?" She asked and Oogway smiled.

"You can take the easy road, but the only good thing that comes from the easy road is that it's easy. Or, you can go back and live your life the way it was meant to be." He smiled knowingly at her as his eyes twinkled.

She had persevered when others would have given up. She had defeated Enlai, overcome her hip injury, and had walked when she'd been told she wouldn't. She looked back at Shifu, who was still rocking back and forth and realized that with him, she could do anything. She turned back to Oogway and nodded. "I'll do it."

Oogway smiled. "I knew you would, little one, you're not one to give up easily." With that, his form shimmered as the peach blossoms swirled around him and he was gone. Saria stared for a moment in awe before she felt a tugging; some unseen force was yanking her back. She turned around as she stumbled and fell into her body and everything went black. Her heart beat once, twice, thumping out an even rhythm. Her ribs began to crack and pop as they mended themselves and her lungs filled unhindered with air. There was an even louder crack as her spine reconnected and her legs tingled as feeling returned to them.

Shifu looked down, shocked. He checked her pulse again and felt it beat against his fingers. Impossible. He put his hand just above her mouth and her breath hit his palm. Shifu's heart went into his throat. Could it be? "Saria?" he said her name softly, inquisitively, and she stirred. He couldn't believe it, she was alive!

She did a mental checklist of her body, trying to figure out if she lost anything physically. She wiggled her fingers and toes, and took a deep breath. She could smell the damp grass and Shifu's woodsy scent as well as various other scents on the wind. She could hear birds chirping in the distance and the breeze drifting through the grass, as well as the steady thumping of Shifu's heart and his quick breathing. So what had she lost?

She opened her eyes and saw nothing but blackness. "Shifu?" She moved slightly and could feel Shifu holding her, but she couldn't see anything. Had he covered her eyes? No, she could feel the breeze on her face. Then it hit her. She was blind.

"I'm here, Saria," Shifu said softly through his tears. He still couldn't believe that she was alive, let alone breathing normally. However, her eyes stared blankly at nothing and it worried him. "Can't you see me?" He asked and she shook her head.

"I'm blind," she whispered. "That's the price the gods wanted me to pay."

"What are you talking about, Saria?" Shifu asked, confused.

"I died," she said, still in shock. "I saw Oogway, and he told me that the gods were going to put me back into my body on the condition that I give something up. I guess it's my vision." She felt a pang of sadness, she wouldn't ever be able to see Shifu's face again with her eyes, but at least she could still be with him. And her baby was going to be alright. She put a hand on her stomach and rubbed it gently.

"Everything is going to be ok," he said gently. "We'll figure it out together. I'm just so happy that you're alright," more tears slid down his face as he nuzzled her hair.

"I have you, Shifu, of course everything is going to be ok," Saria said with a slight smile. Saria felt Shifu lean over her and she tilted her head up and his lips settled on hers. He pulled her closer as he kissed her despite the blood on her lips and tongue. She melted in his arms as she kissed him back, and tasted salty tears and felt them drip on her face. "Don't cry, Shifu," she said softly against his lips. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I know," he said as he fought the lump in his throat. "But I still lost you for a minute there. I've never known such pain, such hopelessness." His heart constricted painfully in his chest at the thought and he hugged her closer, resting his forehead against hers. "I was ready to follow you into the afterlife."

"I'm sorry, Shifu, I never meant to hurt you," Saria said.

"I know," he sighed. "I tried to keep you safe and you were put in the gravest danger."

"Don't blame yourself, I would do it all over again a second time," she said and he sighed.

"I know you would, that's what scares me," he whispered. "Let's go home," he said a little louder. "The others are probably worried sick." She nodded and slipped her arms around his neck as he picked her up and cradled her to him. He gave her one last lingering kiss before beginning the decent down the mountain.

Saria was exhausted and she was having trouble staying awake as she rocked in Shifu's arms. She dozed lightly, her head resting against his shoulder and Shifu's mind drifted as he walked. He had witnessed a miracle, She'd been dead; he hadn't felt a pulse and she'd stopped breathing. To be returned to her body by the gods was unheard of, she must have a very important destiny to fulfill and it worried Shifu. Not to mention that she'd seen Oogway. Shifu missed him terribly, but he had Saria and that was all that he needed.

They made it back to the palace and the others came out of the hall when they saw the couple walk into the courtyard. Saria was half asleep, and she yawned sleepily. Shifu took her to their room without a word as he walked around the bodies of rhinos, followed by the doctor and the others. He shook his head when Po opened his mouth to speak and instead followed silently along with the Furious Five. Everyone waited outside as the doctor closed the bedroom door behind him.

Shifu set Saria gently on the bed and stepped back as the doctor shuffled up with his medical bag. He set it on the floor and put both hands on her chest as he closed his eyes and used his chi to send a pulse through her body. "Well, my dear, you're mostly healed and your baby is healthy," the old rabbit said in awe as he opened his eyes. "However, even though your eyes seem healthy, you cannot see through them?" She shook her head. "I'm afraid I cannot fix that which doesn't seem to be broken." He said sadly.

"It's ok," Saria said. "I'm alive, and that's what matters."

"Very true," the old rabbit said. "And I was sure that you were going to die. You keep proving me wrong." He gave her a toothy grin even though she couldn't see it and she smiled.

"I'm glad to prove you wrong in this case," Saria said with a chuckle.

"Me too, my dear," he said as he patted her arm gently. "Me too." He shuffled to the door and walked out, and as soon as he was gone the Furious Five and Po crowded into the room. They couldn't see Saria because Shifu was bent over her as he carefully tucked the blankets in around her.

"Is she…" Po left the question everyone wanted to know hanging in the air.

"I'm still kicking," Saria said from behind Shifu.

"But… but," Mantis stammered.

"How?" Tigress asked, as stunned as the others were.

Saria opened her mouth to tell them but Shifu shook his head. "You need to rest," he said and his tone told her that it wasn't open for discussion, so she didn't argue. When he saw that she wasn't going to push the subject, he turned to the others. He told them what happened; including everything Saria had told him as Saria began to drift off to sleep. "The gods took her vision, she's blind," he told them. "But we'll find a way to work around it. If I can teach Po, I can teach anyone." He smirked slightly and everyone nodded in agreement. Po looked around at them, confused, but shrugged it off. "Begin bringing the villagers back into town and have the palace staff begin working on the hall, and send some of them down into the village to help with cleaning and rebuilding the houses," Shifu instructed. They all bowed and left, all except Tigress.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the little stuffed bear and handed it to Shifu. "What's this?" he asked curiously as he turned the bear over in his hands. It was quite cute really, and the fabric was very soft.

"Monkey found it while we were down in town," Tigress explained. She shifted slightly and avoided Shifu's gaze; obviously she wasn't comfortable with doing nice things and it made Shifu smile. "We thought that… um… maybe the baby would like it." She finally said.

"Thank you, Tigress," Shifu said as his thumb stroked over the soft cloth. "That was very… nice… of you." He never thought he'd use the word nice when talking about Tigress, but it was true. She nodded before turning away, refusing to meet his gaze. She was almost out the door when Shifu said her name. She turned back to him, curiosity in her gaze. "I forgive you," he simply said. Tigress knew what he was talking about and smiled. She nodded and left the room to help the others.

Shifu set the bear on the nightstand before crawling into bed with Saria. She felt him get in bed and curled up against him. He kissed her, his lips brushing against hers tenderly before he rolled onto his back and pulled her so that she could rest her head on his chest as he put an arm around her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes. His last thought before he drifted off to sleep was that it was nothing less than a miracle that she'd been returned to him, and he was never ever going to let her out of his sight again.


End file.
